Heirs to the Labyrinth
by Last Haven
Summary: Stories of a hero touched by fate are a dime a dozen, but what about those touched twice? Sarah and Toby are brought to the decaying labyrinth to save her daughter but she isn't the only one in trouble. Time is running out and nothing is as it seems. JS
1. Moving Day

There are quite a few different kinds of stories, from the tales of a farm boy touched by fate to the tragic fall of an era. More often than not, they begin with the phrase "once upon a time" or end with "and they lived happily ever after."

This story will neither begin with "once upon a time" nor end with a "happily ever after". Nor is it a normal tale, with a hero destined for greatness; on the contrary two of our main characters shall be touched by fate _twice_ and another has so many brushes already, they are impossible to count here. Instead, the time is three o'clock on a balmy Saturday afternoon in June, and the place is a small town in New England.

So now, we shall begin our story, knowing where and when this tale takes place. And it shall begin with a cramped white minivan making its way through a nearly empty main street…

- -Chapter One- -

"Liz? Do you want to stop for something to eat first or-?" Sarah asked, looking up at a restaurant sign.

"I just want to go home," came the bitter reply from the backseat, about as harsh as you can get from a seven year old.

Up in the front seat, Sarah sighed and pushed the fast forward button on the cassette player. _Looks likes she's in one of her _**moods**_ again, _she thought. After being in the minivan all day, Elizabeth was, once again, miserable and if this was like any of the previous moods she'd gotten herself into, she would be in a foul mood all day. Girding herself for a long day, Sarah glanced at her directions on the notebook scrap and then up at the street signs. She couldn't help but smile; finally, almost there.

"We're getting close now," she called back to her daughter and only received a huff in reply. She frowned but decided not to comment. No good would come from her trying to get her daughter to actually talk. In fact, it was more likely she would try to pitch a fit and Sarah couldn't take that at the moment.

She tried another approach. "Your uncle said he would meet us there, you know."

Finally, her daughter perked up. "Really?"

Sarah nodded, smiling; at least that had dragged her daughter out of her funk for a moment. "He's going to help us unpack for the next couple days."

"…fine," Elizabeth huffed, turning back to her window for a moment before turning back. "…how much longer 'til we get there?"

"Just a bit," Sarah answered, putting the paper away. She knew the rest of the way—she should, she had run down these back streets many times when she ran late from her practices in the park when she was thinking of perusing theater. Now she had returned to her hometown once more, taking up a job at the local community college.

"…okay," Elizabeth huffed, peering out the window. Sarah glanced back and smiled when she saw her daughter's face light up. "Uncle Toby!"

Apparently her daughter hadn't believed her when she said how close they were. Sarah smiled and pulled into the driveway to her new house where her younger brother Toby sat on the front steps, waiting to greet them.

"Uncle Toby," Elizabeth cried again, struggling to escape her seatbelt before bolting out the door the moment the minivan stopped.

Toby grinned as he got up and waved to his niece and sister, leaving his guitar case next to the door. At seventeen, Toby was a tall, lanky boy with blond hair looking like it came out of a bottle and a five o'clock shadow. Pausing half way to the minivan, he reached down and swung his niece up into his arms. "There's my girl," he laughed, giving her a bear hug. "How was the drive?"

"Awful," Elizabeth whined before grinning up at him. "I missed you."

"Aww, shucks," he replied, pretending to be bashful as he set her down, "thanks, little lady."

"Toby," Sarah called, getting out and walking over to him. He waved and stood up, tossing his arms around her as she reached for him. "Haven't seen you since the funeral, you know."

"I know," he answered, clutching at her. "Good to see you, sis."

"Good to see you too," she answered, pulling back to look at his face. "You look good. What's with the stubble?"

He grinned. "S'matter, sis? Afraid your little brother finally grew up on you?"

"A bit," she replied. "So, did the movers come by already?" she asked, glancing over to look at the vague shapes in the windows of her new house.

"Yep," he answered, taking her hand and Elizabeth's and leading them over to the door. "Came by yesterday, and me and dad let them in and helped shove stuff in."

"Thanks, Toby Jingles," she laughed at his affronted face and let go of his hand to fish around in her purse for the key to the door. Finding it, she stuck it in the keyhole and unlocked the door. "Welcome to our new home, Bethie."

Elizabeth warily walked in, glancing about. "…bigger than the apartment," she admitted finally. Sarah took that as a good sign.

"Wait 'til you see the garden out back," Toby said, squeezing her hand. "You'll love it."

"Really?" she asked, already starting to warm up to the idea of a house with a garden.

"Yeah. C'mon, I'll show you," he told her, leading her out back. As they walked, Elizabeth took stock of her new home; it was much bigger than the old apartment where her and her mother had lived while her mother had taught at the last college. There were hard wood floors, niches, tall banisters, and marble counters. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel her excitement bubbling up.

Her uncle led her through the kitchen, out to the back where there was a small foyer with red tiles and a coat rack before a sliding glass door. Looking out the door, Elizabeth gasped and took off, pulling the door open and rushing out.

It was what she and her mother would call a fairy garden. There was baby's breath everywhere, roses flourishing in the humid summer sun, violets, lily of the valley, carnations, tiger lilies, and more flowers than Elizabeth could name. She made a note to herself to ask her mother what flowers there were here, (her mother knew more about flowers than her).

"Do you like it?" her uncle asked quietly, bending down so they were face to face. She grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

"Toby! Elizabeth!" From inside the house, Sarah called out. Elizabeth and Toby turned and watched as Sarah poked her head out the door. "C'mon, guys," she said, "we got unpacking to do."

Elizabeth huffed, not yet ready to leave this beautiful place to go back in to work. Toby patted her shoulder sympathetically. "C'mon, Lizzie, we got work."

With a sigh, she let her uncle lead her in.

* * *

"Sarah," Toby called, walking into the new living room carrying a box. "Where's this going?" he asked, putting it on the coffee table.

Sarah paused as she placed a tiny statuette of a ballerina on a built-in bookshelf and walked over to see what her brother brought her. Reading her messy scrawl on the box, she cut the box open and glanced in. "They go here. Help me with them, will you? And be careful, there's fragile stuff in there."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered with a mock salute, reaching in and pulling out a few worn books. "Hey, I recognize some of these."

"I got them for Elizabeth when she was little," Sarah admitted as she glanced over the titles of the fairytale books in his hands. She smiled as he put them on the bookshelf and she reached into the box. However, she paused when she glanced at the picture frame she pulled out, staring into the photo.

Toby noticed the silence, turned, and saw his sister admiring a picture containing her, Elizabeth, and a man. Biting his lip, he came closer and saw who it was. The picture look fairly recent and all of them were laughing up at the camera.

"…Jacob looks good in there," he commented, trying to be tactful. Sarah sighed, moving to put it up as well.

"It was about a month before the crash," she told him, placing it delicately next to the statuette of the ballerina. She paused, staring up into the happy faces that were completely unaware that they'd be torn from each other so soon.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," he murmured. She sighed and thought _Everybody is._

"It wasn't his fault," she muttered. "It wasn't anybody's fault." She turned and smiled brightly at him. "C'mon, we shouldn't cloud up this new house with a gloomy atmosphere. I'm going to help Elizabeth in the kitchen."

Toby nodded as she left and glanced up at the picture again, looking up at the face of his dead brother-in-law. He sighed and busied himself with trying to get Sarah's aged radio to work.

In the kitchen, Sarah found Elizabeth grumbling at the kitchen's tiny island as she pulled out bowls from a box. "Let me help you, sweetie," she spoke, grabbing the bowls and putting them in a cupboard.

"I don't see why we had to move," Elizabeth complained, helping her mother by pulling a stack of plates out of a packing box.

Sarah sighed and grabbed the plates, shoving them into a cabinet above the counter. "Not this again, Bethie."

"But momma," she started before Sarah turned and braced her hands against the counter, bearing down on her daughter.

"I mean it," she told her seriously. "I need this job, and Mythology is something I've been dying to teach since I was twenty." Elizabeth huffed and looked away. Sarah sucked in a weary breath and tried reasoning again. "It won't be bad, I promise. If I do well, I could get tenure and then we won't have to move again."

Her daughter glanced up warily. "Promise?"

"Promise," she repeated and stuck out her pinky. "Pinky promise even."

Turning back, she slowly reached out and hooked her mother's finger with her own. Her mother smiled and she couldn't help but smile back.

"It'll be good here. Trust me."

Elizabeth sighed and glanced up at her. "…okay."

Suddenly from around the kitchen's peninsula music began to play. "Hey, Sarah, I got your radio working," Toby called coming into view. Sarah shook her head amused and Elizabeth giggled at her uncle. "C'm'ere, Lizzie, let's dance."

Grinning, she hopped down and ran over to her uncle. He caught her hands and they began whirling about to the music. Sarah laughed at the two of them and tried to go back to unpacking when Toby grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.

"C'mon, Sarah, dance with me," he laughed, tugging her into a fast butchered version of a waltz.

"No, Toby." She tried to sound firm but gave up and started laughing. "I have to finish unpacking," she reminded him sternly as he led her out the back foyer, taking her out into the garden. Giving in, she tossed her head back and laughed, dancing enthusiastically with her brother.

"I wanna dance too," Elizabeth cried and they both let go of a hand to grasp one of hers, forming a merry circle before Sarah tripped and brought them all crashing down.

"Sarah," Toby roared jokingly, "look what you did."

"What I did?" she retorted. "I'll show you," she declared and tackled him, tickling him mercilessly while Elizabeth squealed and joined in. He screamed and laughed, trying to wriggle away but before she knew it the tables turned on Sarah and it was Toby and her daughter pinning her to the ground as they tickled her. "No fair! You're cheating," she accused them.

"Am not," Elizabeth shot back.

"Are too," Sarah laughed and began tickling her daughter, her brother joining in; Elizabeth shrieked in laughter. Before long her mother and uncle took pity and stopped. All three laughed, leaning against each other, giggling, and trying to catch their breaths.

After they had finally picked themselves up of the ground and made it back inside, Toby led Elizabeth into the living room while Sarah remained in the kitchen promising to make hot chocolate for them. Elizabeth watched from her spot on the loveseat, looking over to her uncle as he strummed his guitar. He was playing any song he could think of and then the ones that she requested.

Finally, Sarah walked in clutching steaming mugs before handing one to her brother and one to her daughter after sitting next to her. Elizabeth grinned and snuggled up to her mother, wrapping her fingers around the warm cup before taking a careful sip.

"Thanks, sis," Toby grinned, raising the cup in salute before taking a gulp and putting it on the coffee table, which was still crooked since it missed straightening from earlier. "Mmm," he hummed, savoring the taste, "You make one mean hot chocolate, Sar."

"Well, thank you," she answered, delighted in a smug way that earned a playful eye roll from her daughter. "Got something to add to the conversation, squirt?"

Elizabeth hid a grin behind her cup, "_no."_

"Oh really?" Sarah shot back, raising a brow and trying hard not to smile. "Well then you wouldn't mind me doing _this _won't you?" The moment she said the word "this" a hand snatched the cup a way and the other began to mercilessly tickle her daughter's side.

"Momma," Elizabeth squealed, trying to wriggle away from her mother's fingers. "Uncle Toby, help!"

Toby glanced up once and sipped his hot chocolate. "Sorry, kid, you're on your own." His tone was so matter-a-fact that both mother and child burst into laughter, giving up the tickling to toss back their heads and laugh at him. "You two are a pair of knuckleheads, you are," he chuckled, seating aside his cup.

By the time they finished laughing, Elizabeth had thrown her arms around her mother's waist and Sarah had drawn her close to her side. Both sat, sipping their cooling hot chocolate and listened to Toby absently singing and strumming at his guitar.

"So darling, darling, stand by me," he sang, tapping his sock covered foot against the coffee table to keep time. "Oh, stand by me-"

The grandfather clock interrupted him, clanging eleven times before finishing. Toby looked at its face and groaned. "Mom's gonna _shoot_ me," he moaned, sinking into the cushions.

"I'll call her," Sarah offered, patting his knee in sympathy. _How many times did I say that Irene was going to shoot me when I was his age?_ she wondered, before answering herself with _Far too many._ She got up and swiped her hand playfully at her brother. "Come on," she commanded, already reaching for her cell phone.

"Eh, I'm up, I'm up," he yelped, jumping to his feet.

"Uncle Toby," Elizabeth began, her voice whining. "Do you have to go?"

"Sorry, Lizzie," Toby answered, soothing her hair down. "But I should have been home an hour ago."

"And you should have in bed around then too," Sarah reminded her, dialling her parents' number. Elizabeth groaned, pouting and sulking.

"C'mon," Toby said, swinging her up into his arms, "I'll tuck you into bed." She paused and nodded, resting her heavy head against his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs. Sarah waved and mouthed "_Gimme a minute_" to her before beginning to talk to her stepmother.

Elizabeth sighed as her uncle carried her into her room and essentially dropped her onto the mattress making her giggle. "Goodnight kiss?" she asked as he pulled the covers up.

"Of course. You can't sleep properly without a goodnight kiss," he chided her playfully, kissing her cheek. "Sweet dreams, Lizzie."

"Night," she answered, kissing his cheek too. He handed her the teddy bear she gestured to. "Uncle Toby?" she began.

"Yeah, sweet pea?"

"Are you…" she paused, squeamish and nervous. "…coming over tomorrow too?"

He grinned down at her. "You betcha." He gained a wide smile as his reward. "Night, sweetie."

"Night," she whispered, clutching her teddy. He kissed her forehead and left, turning back to give her one last smile before flipping off the light switch. He watched as she snuggled deeper into her covers and sighed in contentment.

He walked away, whistling and taking the stairs two at a time. Who knew making his niece happy would put him into such a good mood? He heard his sister shut her phone as he walked back into the living room. "So, think she'll skin me alive or put me down mercifully beforehand?"

She smirked at him, gesturing to where he'd left his guitar. "She says you got fifteen minutes to get home before you're grounded off the computer for a week."

"Oo, she _was_ merciful then," he hooted, grabbing his guitar and stuffing it into his case. "Whatever you said to her, I owe you."

"Come by tomorrow and help again with the unpacking and I'll call it even," she answered. "You better run, I have to go say good night to Elizabeth. Unless you need a ride…?"

"S'alright," he answered, snapping the case closed. "You know most seventeen year olds don't have a curfew of ten a' clock."

She snickered at him. "I remember those days." She gave him a hug when he reached out for her. "Night, Toby Jingles."

"Ah, I hate that name," he whined.

"But you loved that book when you were little," she giggled, ruffling his hair.

"Seventeen, Sarah, I'm seventeen years old," he pouted. He did his best to look pitiful, sticking out his bottom lip, ducking his chin, and glancing upward at her.

She laughed and swatted him. "Enough of that."

"Oww, oww," he whined theatrically, jumping away from her. "You're so mean to your little brother."

She laughed again and began to swat him again, shepherding him out. "Night, Toby," she chuckled, wrapping him in a hug before giving him a shove out the door.

"Night to you too, sis," he shot back, waving before he took off down the street to make it home before he was late. She waved back at him for a bit before going back inside her home. After she shut the door, she sighed, stretching her arms and legs as far as they would go before dropping her hands, clapping them once, before walking into her living room. As she walked in, she reached out to grab the cups they had left behind when a small voice called out to her.

"Mom?"

Sarah stopped and sighed as she straightened up; her back voiced its disgruntlement at all the lifting and bending she'd been doing all day. She stretched, placing her hands on her hips and bending back a bit to get it to pop. "Yes?" she called up to her daughter before starting for the stairs. "I'm coming."

She cleared the final stair and stuck her head into her daughter's room. "You called, princess?"

"Are you going to bed soon?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes blearily squinting at her mother.

"In a bit, I have to clear up the cups we used," she answered, walking over and sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed. "Night, honey," she told her, bending down and planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Night, momma," she whispered back, already giving into sleep. Sarah smiled at her daughter and began to get up before her daughter's soft voice stopped her. "Mom? Do you think I'll make any friends when I go to school in fall?"

Sarah smiled and bent to kiss her daughter again. "Yes. I'm sure."

Satisfied, Elizabeth smiled and hugged her teddy. "Night."

"Night, baby," she answered. Getting up and pausing to smile once more for her daughter before shutting the door behind her. Sighing, she rubbed her aching back and longed to sink into her bed as she went down the stairs to collect their cups from the coffee table.

As she entered the room and went to gather the cups, she glanced over at the couch to where Toby had sprawled. As she looked, however something caught her eye and she nearly dropped the cup Elizabeth had used.

Sitting innocently where Toby had earlier, rested a crystal sphere, perfect and catching the light serenely. Sarah nearly cursed.

She hesitated for a moment before snatching the crystal and stomping out to her backdoor, out into the garden where earlier they had all laughed, and marched to the end of the garden. Not bothering to unlatch the gate, she stopped at the fence and with all her might, hurled the crystal at the wood behind her house. She didn't bother to worry for anyone wandering around bare foot that might tread there and glared as she heard it shatter.

"Leave us alone," she hissed at the wind. "You leave us alone, Jareth."

There was no answer save for the call of a night bird. Her actions suddenly caught up with her mind and she felt foolish for running out of her house, tossing out some crystal, and accusing the forest of being a Goblin King's hideout. Bashfully, she turned and fled to her home and didn't dare glance back lest she find something out there she wished hadn't.


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Note: The dream in this chapter has been changed—in an earlier version, the dream was based closely on a short movie called "Return to Labyrinth" by riakt on YouTube. Upon reflection, the whole thing screamed "SUE ME!" so I have edited the dream, to try and distance it from the short film. Still, I recommend you watch the original video which is quite enjoyable. The link is (please remove the spaces): http:// www. youtube. com/ watch?v=AiHpUvi6zyE&feature=related**

- -Chapter Two- -

When Elizabeth woke up the next morning, it took her a moment to remember were she was. When she did, she sunk further into the covers and pulled them up over her head to try to force reality out there and not in her bed with her. Then she heard her uncle laugh, and with a yelp, she struggled out of her sheets, crashed to her floor, then picked herself up, and raced out the door.

"Hey, you," Toby laughed as she skid into the dining room, racing for him. "Morning, Lizzie."

"Good morning," she answered, tossing her arms around his waist.

"Sleep good?" he asked, pulling her back, and grinning down at her.

"_Yes_," she grinned up at him, and he picked her up, making her squeal in joy. He carried her over to the table, and sat her down in one of the high backed seats.

"Breakfast," Sarah called, walking in with a couple of plates. She handed one to Toby, and then served another to her daughter before taking the last, and sitting at the table herself. "Sit down, and join us, Toby."

Elizabeth smiled at the bacon and egg smiley face her mother had made on her plate, (after seeing it in a cartoon once Elizabeth had begged for her mother to do the same), and grabbed the fork that had been set out for her as her uncle took her cup, and poured milk into. "What are we doing to do today, momma?"

"Mmm," Sarah hummed as she chewed on her egg, and tried to think. "Toby and I will keep unpacking, but at noon you got those swimming classes you signed up for."

Toby blinked, bacon halfway to his mouth. "You signed up for swimming classes before you even got moved in?"

"Irene suggested it," Sarah explained, taking a drink of her coffee.

Elizabeth perked up. "Are we going to see grandma and grandpa soon?" she asked, pleading.

Sarah smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair fondly. "Today."

"Yes!" she cheered, bouncing in her chair.

Toby laughed. "Do you need someone to take her?"

"Actually," Sarah started, smiling as she knew what was about to come. "Dad said he was going to take her."

"Grandpa's taking me?" Elizabeth asked voice soft and hopeful. Sarah winked at her, and she squealed. "Oh, when's he coming?" she pleaded, leaning forward eagerly.

"Not for another hour," she answered, shooting her brother a mock reproachful glare. "Your uncle was supposed to come with him, but he left too early, and banged at the front door for me to let him in."

"Sorry," he answered sheepishly. "I thought you'd be up by then."

The rest of the meal continued with easy banter and the clatter of silverware against the plates until they had finished. Sarah accepted the plates and cups, shooing her brother and daughter out of the room to do more unpacking as she stowed the dishes into the sink. For the rest of their time together they unpacked in various rooms as Toby fiddled with the radio to get it to play music again.

A solid knock from the door some time later sent Elizabeth careening out of the room she was in and hurtling to open it. She nearly collided into the heavy oak door, instead she ran headlong into Robert Williams as he tried opening the door. She nearly toppled him over, and the only thing keeping him and her from falling onto the steps below him was the fact he had barely managed to catch the frame of the door.

"Jesus, Lizzie, give dad a break," Toby told her as he helped steady his father as he walked in.

"I'm sorry," she gasped. "I didn't mean to hit him!"

"It's okay, Elizabeth," Robert sighed, rubbing his knee where she had barrelled into him. "Just…don't do it again, okay?"

"Dad?" Sarah called as she poked her head through a door. She smiled when she caught sight of him, and walked over, tossing her arms around him. "Hello."

"Hey, pumpkin," he said, returning the hug. He pulled back to smile at his first-born. "So, how's the unpacking been coming?"

"Great," she answered, pulling Elizabeth, and ruffling her hair. "Toby and Elizabeth have been doing a great job."

"Good, good," he smiled, patting his son's shoulder proudly. He turned to his granddaughter. "Ready to go swimming?"

"Yes, grandpa," she answered.

"Why don't you go grab your stuff?" her mother suggested.

"'Kay," she murmured, pulling away, and racing up the stairs. By the time she had collected the things she needed—swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, flip-flops, etc—and returned downstairs, she found her family talking back and forth.

"-it'd be great if you came over tonight, Sarah," her grandfather said. "We haven't all been together for such a long time."

"Are we going to grandma and grandpa's tonight, momma?" she asked as she drew closer. Her mother gave her a smile.

"Well, if we can get some more stuff unpacked-"

"Yay!" Elizabeth cried, not bothering to let her mother finish. Sarah tossed her arms up in the air, and rolled her eyes.

"Welcome to parenthood, sweetie," Robert laughed, patting her shoulder. He bent a little to see his granddaughter eye to eye. "Ready now?"

"Yep," she replied, holding up the bag she had stuffed her things into. "Bye, momma, bye, uncle Toby."

"Later, Bethie," Toby laughed as he gave a little wave. "See you at dinner, dad."

"Bye, Lizzie," Sarah said as she dropped a kiss on her daughter's forehead and then kissed her father's cheek. "Bye, daddy."

"Bye," he answered, ushering his granddaughter out to his car.

As they left, Sarah and Toby waved before returning into the house. Sarah headed for the kitchen with Toby dutifully following. "Hey, Sarah, can we talk?" he asked as she reached out to dry her dishes, and wipe down the counter.

"What is it, Toby Jingles?"

"I _hate_ that name," he grumbled.

Sarah paused for a minute as she caught sight of what he was wearing. She hadn't paid much attention to his clothes earlier, but now they were glaringly obvious to her. While his torn jeans may not have been appropriate for some occasions his shirt on the other hand… "Nice shirt. Wishful thinking much?"

It was red with bold white print the words "Guitarists get all the ladies" across his chest.

Toby grinned, and tried to look nonchalant, but only came off as smug. "What can I say? It's true," he laughed as he sat in a chair, and propped his feet up onto the counter she had just finished wiping down.

Rolling her eyes fondly, she snapped the dishtowel at his feet, and wiped the counter again before returning to her dishes. "Ah, but then how do you explain your lack of a girlfriend?"

He waved her off, propping one foot against his knee since he couldn't use the counter. "Why tie myself down to one when I can have however many girls I want?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Oh, please."

He smirked at her, but then dropped the smug look for a pleading one. _Uh oh,_ Sarah thought with affection, _he's going to ask for something._ Sure enough, he didn't disappoint. "Anyway, can I ask a question?"

"You just did," she pointed out with a smirk.

"Ha ha. You should have been a comedian," he retorted.

She sighed, and decided to get to the point. "Okay, okay, shoot."

He grinned at her. "Can I borrow your car?"

"The minivan?" she asked and paused. _Why would anyone, let alone a seventeen year old boy, want to borrow the minivan? _It wasn't what one would consider a very cool ride. She tossed the dishtowel across her shoulder, and waited for the answer.

"Yeah; mom and dad won't let me borrow their car."

She snorted, and smiled returning to her dishes. "When'd you get a license?"

He huffed, and gave her a _look_. "You wanna see?"

She turned, and grinned at his indignation. "Yeah, sure. How's the picture?" she asked, eagerly reaching for it as he offered it to her.

"Horrible; like anyone else's," he answered, shrugging trying to look humble, and failing at it.

She looked, and smiled. "Not as bad as mine."

"Yeah, well," he started taking back his license, and slipping it into his wallet. "You look stoned off your ass in yours." He shoved his wallet into his back pocket then dropped his hands to his sides, hunched over, and dropped his jaw, exaggerating his pantomime of her picture.

"You're horrible," she cried, and laughed.

He stopped his teasing, and grinned at her. "So, can I borrow your car?"

She paused, and smirked. "Yeah-"

"YES!" he cried, rocketing up out of his seat.

"-if you pick up Elizabeth from her swim practice for me," she finished, biting her lip to keep from laughing.

He waved her off. "Sure thing. Thanks, sis."

"What'd you need it for anyway?" she asked, leaning back against the counter tossing her dishtowel at the sink.

"Drama practice at the school," he answered, walking over to her, and placing a stack of dried plates away.

She raised a brow at him. "Well, do you have to go soon then?"

"Yeah…" he trailed off in thought, stowing away a few of the bowls. He paused before turning to her. "Sarah, how much do you know dreams?"

"Dreams?" she repeated with a frown. "Having bad dreams or something?"

"Nah, it's not that," he answered, leaning against the counter. "It's just…well; they're just kinda…strange."

"How so?"

He screwed up his face as he tried to think of the right words. "Alright so I walk in, and start calling for mom and dad 'cept they're not there. Well, I go the stairs, and dump my stuff in my room. Then I fall asleep, or something 'cause the next part is me waking up, and going downstairs calling again since it's dark out." He stopped for a breath then continued. "So I go downstairs and start looking around, 'cept they're still not home."

"Ah, Toby, did you get afraid of being home all by yourself?" she teased, trying to fight grinning.

"Can I finish?" he drawled, glaring at her.

She raised her hands in mock defeat and allowed herself a small grin. Calling it small might have been more objective than correct, but Sarah would have argued the point anyway.

"So, I stop in front of Dad's office, and for some reason there's this bright light coming from under the door, like someone put a spot light right on the crack."

"A light?"

"Yeah, but for some reason, it feels really really wrong," he explained. "So I freak out, and I start trying to back up."

"You're so brave in this dream," she commented. However, he noticed she looked a bit pale; he ignored this, and went on.

"Ha ha," he glared. "Anyway, I nearly make it out of the hall when the door just flies open and this little figure comes out." He held up his hands, showing about a foot gap between them. "About this big. He walks over to me, and starts raving that I have to help him and …something else. But I kinda freak out, and run out the front door-"

"Braver and braver by the second in this dream," she murmured, suddenly not feeling so amused.

"-and when I walk out the door, it's not the street I see, it's this gigantic hedge maze with this stone maze and castle in the distance," he went on, gesturing with his hands as he tried to find the right words again. "Like it's a—a—a _labyrinth_." He looked over to his sister, and noticed she had gotten even whiter. "…Sarah?"

"…a labyrinth?" she croaked finally, color returning. "Huh. You got quite the imagination there, Toby."

"Heh," he chuckled, grinning at her. "Just like you, eh?"

She smiled. "Just like me." She turned, and put some of the cups away. "Just what did this figure look like anyway?"

"Ah, besides short?" he said, rubbing his chin as he tried to recall the image of the figure. "Stumpy."

"Great description, short and stumpy."

"-And kinda …warty?" he finished, not sure if that was the word he'd been looking for.

"Warty?" she asked amused.

"Yeah. Eh, that's about all I remember," he shrugged. "Maybe it was that chilidog I ate before going to bed."

"That'd do it," she agreed. She stopped, and looked at him as he stared out the backdoor, lost in thought. "C'mon. I need to finish unpacking, or else I really won't go tonight and Elizabeth will pitch a fit if we don't."

"Sure thing," he nodded, heading out to the room. She watched him as he left, thinking of what he had described. _Short, stumpy, warty. _Sounded like a goblin. _And a labyrinth._ She shivered in spite of herself.

In the nearly two decades since her adventure in the labyrinth, she had called on her friends quite a bit in the beginning, but by the time she turned twenty, and got married they stopped coming when she called. _I thought that Jareth or something was stopping them but if one is trying to talk to Toby…_

She shook her head. _It's just a dream he had when he ate too late last night. No need to panic._ But still, she wondered why a goblin would go to Toby for help.

"You better leave him alone, Jareth," she muttered, leaving the room to go unpack some more.

- -

It was official: Elizabeth was never going to learn how to swim nor would she ever make _any_ friends in this town.

Leaning against the station wagon's window, Elizabeth sniffed as her grandfather gave her hand a comforting pat. He hadn't known what had happened only that something did and his granddaughter wouldn't talk of it. Besides, she didn't want him to know how the other children had teased, and snubbed her in turns the whole lesson. Maybe she _was_ being overdramatic—something her mother often claimed she was—but she could see no hope now.

"It'll be okay, sweetie," Robert tried. "I'm sure it will be better next time you go." She sniffed again, but didn't comment. Robert sighed, but smiled as his daughter's house came into view. "Look, you're home. Give your mother a kiss for me, and tell her to come over if she can tonight."

"'Kay," she sniffed, swiping at her nose. Her grandfather smiled, and gave her a quick hug before helping her out of her seatbelt, and out the door. "Bye, grandpa."

"Bye, Liz," he called as he drove home.

She turned, sighed, and then marched up to the door. Opening it, she walked in and dropped her stuff by the door. "I'm home."

"Welcome home," Toby called before poking his head out the door. He frowned as he looked at her face. "Something wrong, Bethie?" She hiccupped, and ran over to him as he bent down, and swept her up into a hug. "S'okay, I gotcha. I gotcha."

"Liz?" Sarah called from the stairs as she began to walk down. She began to run down them however when she heard her daughter sob. "Baby, what happened?"

Toby stepped out of the living room, and into the open, shrugging when he handed Elizabeth over. "She just came in, and started crying."

"Lizzie, what happened?" she asked again, jogging her in her arms like she was a baby again. "Are you okay?"

"Why'd we have to move to this stupid place anyway?" she wailed. Sarah sighed as she began to piece together what had happened.

"You know, she has a point, this place is pretty stupid," Toby commented, deadpan.

Sarah glared, and slapped her hand at him as he jumped away. "Hush you," she snapped at him before returning her attention back to her daughter. "Honey, did something happen at the swim class?"

"Did someone pick on you?" Toby asked. "I can beat them up if you want."

Sarah glared, but didn't comment since the statement had gotten a laugh, albeit a phlegmy one, from Elizabeth. "Is that what happened? Did someone upset you?"

"I wanna go home," she hiccupped into her mother's shoulder.

Sarah clucked at her, and jogged her again. "We _are _home, sweetie," she corrected her gently. Elizabeth made no response, only cried more.

She continued for quite a bit, not answering her mother or uncle's questions. A few hours later, Toby felt like he was walking on eggshells around either his sister or niece. Silence had fallen tense and thick over the house, and Toby began to long to leave just to escape the oppressive atmosphere. It only became worse when Elizabeth reminded her mother of the dinner at their parent's home.

"Grandpa said to come over if we can," she informed her mother, matter-of-factly. "We're going, aren't we?"

Sarah sighed as she looked about the room she was in; it was supposed to be her office, but the entire room was in disarray. No way was she leaving it like this. "I'm sorry, baby, but we still have a long way to go."

Now for a small girl who's had a long, rough day, this had been the one thing she had felt she had left to look. Needless to say, she didn't take it very well.

"But momma, you promised," she whined, shaking her little fists for emphasis.

"Elizabeth, enough of that," Sarah huffed, turning to her daughter. "I specifically said that we would only go if we get some more stuff unpacked-"

"-but we have!" she interrupted. "We've _been_ doing that all afternoon." She pointed out the window for emphasis to show that was indeed getting dark, her parents' were probably waiting for them and Toby for dinner.

"We can't leave all this stuff lying around," Sarah reminded her, turning back to open another box. "We can go for dinner another time, sweetie. Right now we-"

"I hate this place!"

Sarah nearly dropped her stack of books in shock that she had tried to place on her desk as her daughter let out a scream she was sure the people down the street could have heard. She whirled around on her daughter. "Elizabeth! That's enough," she ordered, trying to quiet her down. "What has gotten into you?"

"I hate it," her daughter screamed again, stomping her foot. Sarah wondered why stomping your foot as a child made you think it actually worked. Now, all it was doing was giving her a headache. "If it weren't for your stupid job we wouldn't had moved here."

"Elizabeth," Sarah started, fighting to keep her voice even. _Is this what Irene had to deal with with me?_ She had to remember to apologize to her stepmother one day if that was true. "That is enough already. Stop this, or you're going to be grounded for a week." She watched as her daughter screwed up her face like she was either about to scream or cry. "I mean it. I'm not going to-"

"If daddy were alive we wouldn't be here," she screamed, surprising Sarah. "It's not fair!"

A pang echoed in Sarah's heart at those words. "It rarely is," she sighed.

This, however, was not the response Elizabeth seemed to have wanted. She burst into tears, and tore out the room leaving Sarah standing in shock. Toby let out a yelp as his niece nearly bowled him over as she raced out the backdoor, out the garden gate, and into the wood behind the house. "Elizabeth," he called after her in surprise as she disappeared past the tree line.

"_Elizabeth!_" Sarah cried, running out of the room after. Toby blinked and followed her out to the garden. He caught her as she went to open the garden gate.

"I'll get her," he said, trying to be reassuring.

Sarah looked worried. "There's broken glass out there." Toby blinked, and wondered how she knew that before brushing the comment aside. "What about wild animals, or some psycho-"

"Sarah," he tsked her. "You know there's nothing out there. The woods aren't even that deep." She took a deep breath and calmed down; he took her by the shoulders, and made her look at him. "I'll go after her. Don't worry. Just stay here, and I'll go get her and talk to her, okay?"

"…okay," she sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Thanks. Just…get her home soon, okay?"

"Got it," he said with a grin. "Back in a flash," he called to her as he took off into the woods after his niece. This left Sarah with very little else she could do besides stand there and worry. After a few minutes, she gave up and went to drag a lawn chair out to wait for them.

In the woods, Elizabeth raced on, crashing through the underbrush. Tears streamed down her face and she could barely see anything in the growing dark. Shadows leered, and jumped at her, long branches clutched her with their gnarled extremities. Around her, she swore she heard the snickering and calls of dark mysterious beings hiding in the shadows.

However, as she turned, clamoring over a fallen log she looked up, and saw a figure. She skid to a stop, and looked at it, waiting for it to reveal itself as a particularly convincing stump or tree.

"…hello? Who's there?" she called to it, praying it was nothing but her imagination running away with her. Instead, it seemed to offer her its hand, stepping forward to meet her.

Biting back a scream, fear flooded her all the way to the tips of her toes. She backpedaled, eyes locked on the figure. It seemed to move slowly so she turned about to run as fast she could. Then skid to a stop again.

When she looked there was no forest. There was nothing but a large field of wheat, dry and dead, waving in the strong wind atop the hill. She opened her mouth, and screamed.

Back in the woods behind the house, Toby ran as well. Checking any place he could think of for his runaway niece. "Elizabeth," he called. There was no answer no matter how loud he called. As he turned, ready to try another spot, he spotted a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye.

"Elizabeth? That you?" he called. He walked over to the tree he'd seen the movement next to, but there was nothing there. Glancing about he blinked when he saw a tunnel. It went down into the earth, and while it was not large, Elizabeth could have gotten through it fine. He would have to crawl on his hand and knees, but he supposed he could make it.

He dropped down, and looked in. He could see nothing, but a distant patch of moonlight from a hole in the roof of the tunnel. "Lizzie?"

To his surprise, and relief, he heard an answering giggle. "Lizzie, if that's you, get outta there right now before you get hurt."

Another giggle, but no sound of movement. He started to get aggravated; with a growl, he reached into his pocket, and began to fish around into his pocket until he withdrew a lighter. He flicked it open, and clicked it causing the tiny flame to appear. He stuck the lighter into the tunnel, and looked down. He didn't see his niece, but heard movement as something or someone shuffled away from the light.

"Lizzie, if that's you, I am _so_ giving you a spanking after this," he huffed, shutting the lighter with a snap, and putting it back into his pocket. Then against his better judgment, he began to crawl down the tunnel after the noise.

After crawling for a bit, he grunted, and pulled out his lighter. He relit the flame, and looked farther down; it still went on. "What the hell made this thing? Mole people?" he groaned, putting the lighter back.

Finally, after quite a few more minutes, he felt a brush of fresh air pass over his face, and began to move forward, eager to be out of the tunnel. A patch of light presented itself, and Toby sighed in relief. As he finally reached the light he was momentarily blinded with the brilliance of it, and turned his face away as he pulled himself out of the tunnel.

_Must have gotten a face full of moonlight_, he thought. As he opened his eyes, however, he realized it wasn't the moon that blinded him. Nor was he in the woods anymore. Looking around, he realized he was atop a hill and stretching out into the distance was a gigantic maze, a castle at its heart.

"The labyrinth from my dream," he whispered. Then he looked back to see the tunnel had disappeared.

- -

Back at the house, Sarah sat in a lawn chair waiting. After Toby had taken off, she'd called, and told her parents what had happened. Her father had been insistent that he come over and help the search, only after long talk was Sarah and Irene successful in persuading him not to. Irene had offered to come over to wait with her, but Sarah had turned her down too. While she and Irene had learned to get along better after her time in the labyrinth, Irene tended to be condescending when she got worried, and Sarah would like to _not _pull all her hair out tonight, thank you.

As she sat in the garden on the edge of her lawn chair, she wondered how long they had been gone. Certainly not as long as it seemed; time always seemed to slow down when you were waiting, and sped up when you need more time. With a sigh, she stood, and went into the house to check the clock on the wall.

When she walked into the kitchen, she looked up at the hanging cat she herself had hung up earlier that day, and sighed. True dark had fallen well hour ago, and barely an hour before that Elizabeth and Toby had gone running out there. _I wonder how long you have to wait before you can call the police about missing people…_

As she stood there looking at the clock and wishing for it to rewind she heard a noise from inside the living room. A rustling or maybe a giggle came from it as Sarah walked closer, frowning. _Perhaps Toby and Elizabeth went around the house, and are playing a joke on me? _If her waiting out in the garden, worrying her head off was supposed to be a joke, she was going to give them an earful.

"Toby? Elizabeth?" she called as she stepped into the room.

A chorus of snickering greeted her and a tiny voice even parroted her. "Toby?" it called back, creating another round of laughter. A shiver ran down her back as déjà vu hit her. _Just like before._

"If there's anyone in my living room, you better get ready for it," she snapped at them, reaching out from the broom Toby had used earlier to sweep out the hallway.

"…Get what?" a carrying voice by the bookshelf asked. There was some "I dunno"s, but the most resounding answer was a loud "shh".

"And if you're a goblin, you'd better watch out," she tried again. She didn't know whether to be frightened, laugh, or beat her head with the broomstick.

"Crud," cried another voice by the sofa while another one by the bookshelf said "she's _good_."

"Get the hell outta my house," she shouted again. This time there was many shuffling, and popping noises, and then there was silence again.

"Sarah, you shouldn't talk like that to them," came a disapproving voice behind her that made her blood freeze and drop her broom. She whirled around, and saw the Goblin King himself, in the chair at the head of her dinning table with his feet propped up. "They're so fond of you, you'll hurt their feelings."

"Jareth," she hissed.


	3. Encounter

**I keep forgetting to mention that while this is not canon with Return to Labyrinth, you will see plenty of shout outs to the comic. (I.e. -Irene instead of Karen.)**

**Also in the last chapter, I forgot to mention that Toby's dream was inspired by a student film on youtube in which the students had to create a sequel to a popular movie. So needless to say, I don't own Toby's dream just like I don't own the Labyrinth or Return to Labyrinth. I'd recommend checking out the video although in reality that short movie has nothing much to do with this story. **

- -Chapter: Three- -

"Jareth," she hissed.

"Sarah," he shot back, putting his feet down and standing. He walked around the corner of the table before leaning his hip against the edge and folding his arms across his chest. "How's motherhood going for you?"

"Fantastic," she snarled. "You should try it yourself—you already have all the necessary equipment," she said, gesturing to his pants, which clearly revealed else wise. Still, he managed to look slightly affronted and that was enough for her. "What are you doing here, Jareth?"

"Tut tut, Sarah, this new attitude is quite discourteous," he tsked her. "I insist you get rid of it."

"The only thing I'm getting rid of is _you_," she retorted. "Get the hell out of my house."

"Now that's no way to talk to the man who knows where the rest of your little family is," he sniffed making Sarah go still. He made a show to look around the room, pointedly ignoring her. "Where is your husband anyway? Stuck at some dreary, dead-end job?"

She glared at him, the memory of her husband's cold corpse staring up blankly when she had to come to identify him at the morgue. "That's none of your business," she told him. "What do you _want?"_

He scowled at her but then adopted an aloof look. "I want a lot of things," he spoke, voice soft, dangerous and seductive at once. "But _dear_ Sarah, what is it _you_ want?"

She glared but decided she had to know what he had meant when he said he knew where the rest of her family was. "…do you know where Elizabeth and Toby are?"

"Toby," he repeated affectionately. "Now I must ask, how is that boy? Such a spunky little baby-"

"Late. Extremely. Jareth, do you know where they are?" she interrupted. He sighed and turned away from her, leaning further back against the table.

"I might," he said at last, picking off some imaginary lint from his coat. Sarah blinked when she realized he wasn't dressed as garishly as he had when she ran the labyrinth; his clothes were serviceable but worn, breeches, a riding jacket, and a pair of tall boots were all. They seemed so much simpler than she had once remembered and she felt a pang of unease in her stomach.

She ignored the feeling and pressed on. "Jareth, if you know, tell me."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Say please."

She wished she still had her broom; she would have used it to whack him over the head.

Instead, she took a deep steadying breath and swallowed her pride. "Jareth, will you _please_ tell me where my brother and daughter are."

He looked satisfied when heard the 'please' however when she said 'daughter' any gratification fled. "Daughter this, daughter that, daughter-"

"Jareth," she snapped, "I said please. Now, where are they?"

He looked over at her before rolling his eyes. "You know very well where they are," he said, nearly quoting himself.

She stared at him a moment, praying that she had misheard. "…you didn't," she whispered.

He glanced back at her. "Actually, I didn't."

She blinked. "You…didn't?" she repeated. "How did they-?"

"End up in the Underground then?" he finished for her. "That's a good question. You and I will have to ask them that when we find them."

"You don't know? …'You and I'?" she repeated. "What do you mean, you don't know? How could they get into the labyrinth without you knowing? And what's this you and I stuff about?"

"I mean I. Don't. Know," he told her seriously. "They appeared on the outside of my labyrinth without any warning though I doubt they got there by themselves." He stepped away from the table, tossing his arms out nonchalantly before turning back to her. "And unless you want me to keep them, I assumed that you would want to collect them."

"…why can't you just send them back?" she asked warily.

He gave her a chilly look like she gave him a grave insult. "That's none of your business. Do you want them or not?"

"…what's the catch?" she asked, still distrustful.

"Catch?" he repeated, caught between amused and offended. "After I've been so generous to you, you still think I'm about to trick you?"

"Wouldn't have been the first time."

"Name it then. When did I trick you?"

"That _peach_," she snarled at him making him smile.

"Alright, I'll admit to that one," he grinned wolfishly at her. "But this time it's not just Toby who's there."

She froze at the unspoken threat in his words. "Jareth," she began, fighting not to punch his pretty boy lights out, "I swear if _anything_ happens to either of them, I will hold you responsible for it."

"I take that as a yes?" he asked, leaning forward with an indulgent smile.

"What _is_ the catch?" she asked, repeating herself resentfully.

"Oh, I'm sure we can work something out, Sarah," he answered. "Now then, do you want to collect your brother and _daughter_ or not?" he asked, spitting out the word daughter like a vile word. "Or should we wait for your husband to come join us?"

She gave him an icy look. "You wouldn't like that would you?" she retorted. She glared at him for a moment before bypassing him to snatch up a piece of paper and a pen she had left on the counter from earlier.

"Now what are you doing?" he asked, sounding very harassed.

"Leaving a message for my parents should they come around looking for us," she answered him shortly.

He raised a brow at her though she didn't see it. "Nothing to your husband then?"

"You harp on that a lot," she muttered. She tossed the pen aside leaving the note in the open space of the counter. "Besides," she huffed, turning back to him. "You don't leave messages saying you're going to be late for the deceased, Jareth."

He blinked as he processed that. "Ah," he said finally, Sarah wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. "Well then, I suppose we have a deal?" he asked, sticking his hand out.

She eyed it carefully before looking back up to his grinning face.

_("We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here." _It was odd how much she felt like Alice as she remembered those lines from ones of her favorite childhood stories. But fitting, she thought, since Jareth had the perfect Cheshire grin.)

Feeling very much like she was signing her death warrant, Sarah reached out and took his hand.

* * *

Toby searched, looking around the hill he had suddenly appeared on after he crawled out of the tunnel. Said tunnel had disappeared without a trace, he knew since he looked on all sides of the hill, and now he had little else to do except debate with himself about running down the hill to look for help or stay there and look for the tunnel. But what if Elizabeth had gone through the tunnel and was somewhere around here? He felt torn as he looked around for the tunnel.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?"

Toby stopped, looking up. Although he could have sworn the only thing atop the hill a moment ago was a scraggly looking tree, but now staring down at him was a woman. Or he supposed it was a woman, nothing in this new place seemed quite real. She was dark haired but her eyes were a sharp grey standing out against her ruddy colored face. She was wearing some gaudy gypsy like costume, all contrasting colors, scarves, blouse, and a long sarong type skirt cocooned her in bright patterns. She was an eyesore really but her face contrasted so sharply with her outfit that it was disconcerting.

He gaped at her. "Ex-excuse me?" he asked after a moment. She raised a brow at him, walking down to him and he saw she was barefoot.

"I asked what are you doing?" she asked. "You look like you're searching for something."

"I …I am," he answered, remembering he was supposed to be looking for his niece or at least the tunnel. "There was a tunnel here a moment ago…" he trailed off as he saw her unbelieving look. "Forget it; have you seen a little girl run through here? Dark hair, 'bout this tall?" he asked, gesturing with his hand to show she went up to about his waist.

"The only one I've seen is you," she told him, smirking a bit at his flustered response. "If there was a child then she must have come some time ago."

"…have you been up there the whole time?" he asked warily. _There was no one up there when I got out …when'd she get here?_

She shook her head. "No, but I did see you come out awhile ago. There was no one before that."

"Well, um," he tried to think of something to say. "Thanks anyway. Do you know where we are?"

"We are outside the labyrinth beyond the Goblin City," she answered him, quirking a brow at him looking more amused. "You really don't know where you are?"

"Ah, not really," he answered, feeling a bit sheepish. "I, um, you see, I was following my niece. I thought I saw her go down this tunnel," he gestured helplessly at the hill, "so I went down but-"

"She did not come this way," she finished for him.

"Right."

She gave him a curious, leery, but still amused look. "She might have come here. But she didn't pass by this way. I'd try going down to the outer wall to see if they've seen a child. Not," she snorted, glaring down at the labyrinth, "that you might actually find someone down there to help."

"Is it deserted?" he asked, turning to look as well.

"Oh no," she answered, "you'll just have to be lucky to find someone willing to be helpful."

He glanced at her then back at the labyrinth. "Right, well, if that's where I have to go, then I better get walking. Do you know the way?" he asked.

She laughed bitterly. "Me? No. But go down and ask. Someone might be more helpful."

"Thanks," he said, taking a step forward before turning back. "I'm Toby," he offered. She looked surprised and oddly touched.

"Toby. That is a good name," she replied. "You had better hurry, Toby, or you might miss someone before the sun gets high."

He nodded, a bit disappointed she hadn't said her own name but he chose not to linger upon it, and took off down the hill. He heard her call "Good luck" to him but when he turned to wave to her she was gone.

"Right," he grumbled, staring back down the hill, "tunnel disappears, why shouldn't the girl too? What a nutty place."

He jogged down the hill, looking around the wall, trying to find signs of life there. After looking around for some time, he tossed his hands up in the air in agitation. "Why can I _never_ find anyone useful to help me when I need them?"

"Well, obviously, you've been looking in all the wrong places," a voice chirped below his elbow. Toby jumped and looked down, biting down hard on his tongue when he saw who had spoken. "Or at least, you've been looking in the wrong way."

"Who," Toby asked, stepping back, "are you?"

"Skub," the little creature answered proudly. Toby wasn't quite sure what he-she-_it_ was; it was a small being vaguely resembling a dwarf all though it hardly seem as human as that. It had a pig snout and ears, a pair of tiny horns escaping a knit cap, and worse fashion sense than Sarah claimed Toby to have. Skub, whatever it-he-she was, wore a striped sweater vest, stained shirt, soccer shorts, a trench coat, and sneakers and none of the colors matched or complimented each other. "Who is you?"

"…Toby," he answered cautiously. "…what are you?"

Skub looked affronted. "I," he declared solemnly, "am a goblin."

"…Sarah always said goblins looked-" he stopped short. He wasn't sure how well Skub would take dim and ugly as a description of his race even if Sarah's tone had been fond as she said it. "Never mind," he coughed, "I don't suppose you've seen a little girl run through here have you?"

"No," the goblin answered shaking his head vigorously. "You're a human aren't you? Skub never seen a human before."

_Oh, great, I get a loon speaking in third person to help me. Wonderful,_ Toby thought, cursing whatever deity was taking such great amusement from Toby's pain. "Really? Well, congratulations." He looked up and down the wall. "Skub, would anyone else have seen a small girl run through here."

"The fairies," Skub answered, gesturing to small fluttering things Toby had mistaken for oversized butterflies. "But they haven't seen any little girls either."

"Damn," Toby hissed, looking at the wall. _Maybe someone inside could help?_

The little goblin prattled on. "Though, they is saying that their sisters saw one on the other side of the labyrinth."

Toby whirled around on him. "A little girl?" Skub had never seen a human before, how could some overgrown—well; hopefully fairies were smarter than goblins apparently. And really, he needn't have worried because they were; it helped to be smart when one spends most of one's day doing mischief such as pranks, biting people, and ruining gardens. "What did she look like? Was she small with dark hair and green eyes?"

"Skub does not know," Skub answered in surprise. "Maybe the little fairy up the way could-" He stopped short and bit his lip in a pained fashion.

Toby nearly throttled him; instead, he grabbed his shoulders, bending down to look the goblin in the eyes, and began to plead with him earnestly. "Please, Skub, if you know of anyone who can help me, please tell me."

Skub looked conflicted. "There is a fairy that comes by; she might have heard more from her sisters on the other side about a little girl. But Skub really _really_ doesn't think that is a very good-"

Toby gave the goblin's shoulders a firm shake. "Skub, I really need you to help me find her then. Do you understand? It is _really_ important."

Skub looked up at him with an awed look. "…Toby needs Skub? Skub never been needed before…"

"Yes!" Toby agreed, quickly seizing up the slightest chance to know where his niece might be. "Toby needs Skub to-" He stopped short. _Oh no, _he thought_, he's got me talking like him too._

Skub didn't seem to mind or notice Toby stopping short. He seemed caught up in the very idea that someone was in need of _him_ of all things. "Yes," Skub promised earnestly, "Skub will help Toby find nasty little fairy, and help him find little girl."

Toby didn't know whether to feel relieved for the help or nervous. Then another thought struck him.

…_nasty little fairy?_ He wondered as Skub began to lead him along the outer wall. _I suppose I'm going to see what he means soon enough._

After some time, although he had let Skub lead him, Toby started to worry that he was just leading him in circles. They had had to leave the outer wall, which for some ridiculous reason distressed Toby though he had no idea _why_, and crawl over rocks and skirt around ponds. He was about ready to ask Skub where he was taking him when he saw Skub stop and squint into the mists.

"I thinks I sees the nasty fairy," he announced in a shushed voice. "But Skub can't see through all this mist."

Toby glanced up to see the sun was now well above the horizon. _Why hasn't it burned off the mist-?_

He didn't get time to finish his thought; Skub had let a yelp and was backpedaling. Toby looked at the mists to see a small but bulky figure racing at them, like a bear cub Toby once saw in the zoo when he was seven. _I hope its mother isn't around here somewhere,_ he thought as he stared at the figure. Then heard a loud shout that confused him more.

"_**CHARGE!" **_It came from the direction of the shape moving at him so he supposed it was it talking. _Another goblin then?_

However as it finally cleared the mist he saw it wasn't a goblin; it was a small creature resembling a picture of a yeti Sarah showed him once. It was running using all four limbs, and to Toby's surprise, he saw that it carried a fairy on its back. _So that's the nasty little fairy? Doesn't look like much trou-_

"**Attack,"** the fairy screamed and to Toby's dismay and shock, it took a small spear and stabbed him in the leg.

"HEY," he screamed, jumping away in pain, clutching at the small puncture wound. "Knock it off, you little pixie," he snarled at it and grabbed at it by a pair of gossamer stumps growing out of its back. _No wings? Some fairy._

"Put me down, goblin," the fairy shot back, waving her spear at his nose. "Or I'll stab you in the other leg."

"Do I _look_ like a goblin to you?" he snapped giving her a little shake. She frowned at him and tried to stab his nose.

"No, but neither does the Goblin King either," she retorted before snickering. "Well, _did."_

He didn't like that dark humor injected into her voice. "Got something against this king then?"

"He's a goblin and that's all that matters," she huffed. She finally seemed to calm down and really look him over. "…you're really _not_ a goblin then, aren't you? Are you a human?"

"Actually," he began, bending down into a crouch. "I am human. Now I'm going to put you down, so no more stabbing my legs or I'll pull you back up, capice?"

"Yeah, yeah, put me down already," she muttered as he put her down. The small yeti like creature gave her a curious sniff like he was checking to see if she was okay. "You're a lot of help, Stank," she snapped at it. It grinned foolishly and tried to nuzzle her.

"Ahh," Toby began in spite of himself. The little guy reminded him of old Merlin and Pendragon back home. "Well, aren't you the coolest little yeti thing ever?" he asked it, reaching out to pet it. Stank, as the fairy called it, began to pant like a dog and offer his head so Toby could scratch behind its ear. "Nice Stank, good boy."

The fairy was eyeing him again. "You are a human. But the Labyrinth hasn't taking challengers in years. How'd you get in?"

"Well, there was tunnel I crawled through," he answered, giving Stank a finally pat before the small creature began to wander around sniffing the ground like a dog does before it relieves itself. "When I got out of the tunnel it disappeared. So I'm stuck."

"Brilliant move, Sherlock," she snorted. She muttered something under her breath, which sounded vaguely of "stupid", "humans", and "many of them running around". Toby's heart nearly leapt into his throat but he tried to ignore it, not getting his hopes up _too_ high.

"You know Sherlock Holmes?" he asked. She didn't seem the reading type-in fact no one he met so far did beside the girl on the hill. _I wonder where she went to? …I wonder where Skub when to too._ He thought, remembering his goblin guide. Maybe the fairy was that scary to him and he was hiding.

"Who?" she asked in confusion. She shook her head and offered her hand. "Name's Hana. Who are you?"

"My name's Toby. Nice to meetcha," he said, using his index finger to shake her little hand. "Just curious, but what happened to your wings?" She was a fairy but all she had were tiny torn stumps on her back.

She flapped the stumps twice at the mention of her wings and growled. "That bastard up in the castle tore them off. He said I was stealing that lying no good-"

Apparently he'd hit a nerve. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry that he ripped off," he started. _Some king ripping off her wings…even if she is a nasty little piece of work like Sarah said fairies were. _"Alright forget that question; I have another one for you."

"Alright," she began; straightening up like maybe she thought it made her look more important. "Ask away."

"Have you seen a little girl somewhere around here?" he asked, not able to keep the pleading from his voice.

To his great relief, she looked smug and answered him with "As a matter of fact, I did."

* * *

Sarah felt a jolt as she took hold of Jareth's hand, like a static electric shock when you grab a car door. This shock traveled up her arm, racing up her spine to her brain then shot back down to her feet. She gasped and dropped his hand as if it were one of his snakes.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" he asked, cheekily. "Something amiss?" She ignored him

As she began to bring up her hand to inspect it for damage, she suddenly realized that they were no longer in her dining room. Feeling her stomach plunging, she risked a glance around them.

Her fears proved correct; they were outside the labyrinth at what appeared to the foot of a large mountain, towering over the labyrinth. She tossed Jareth a cross look that promised retribution and turned to look out over the place where she had learned the most in her entire life. A twinge of nostalgia crept up on her as she turned about.

And then she stopped short.

"Jareth…" she gasped, "what _happened?"_ Behind her Jareth made a noise caught between a snicker and a sigh. She could hardly believe her eyes as she looked out onto the labyrinth; Toby hadn't seen the immense change of the labyrinth but since Sarah had once ran it she recognized several changes at once.

It had grown, she realized first. Before the labyrinth had been limited to the valley, now it crept up the mountains although the immense dead fields of wheat still waved in the distant. However, it wasn't the size that shocked her it was the state of the labyrinth itself; where twisting walls once stood, whole sections laid scattered on the ground. The hedge maze ceased to be a garden like area changing to a forest of dead bushes. Even the castle looked worn and chipped away. Coating the entire labyrinth was a thick mist still strong in the midmorning sun and something told her it would remain the whole day.

"It looked like a war happened down there," she declared, turning about to face him again. "Just what the he-"

He was gone.

"DAMNIT IT, JARETH," she screamed at the sky. "Get back here!" Nothing happened. She huffed, and turned about again. "Useless man," she growled. "He could have told me where I needed to go at least."

She stared down at the labyrinth and all of its changes still wondering what had happen to the once magnificent place had been.

"Well," she sighed. "I'm not going to find either of them just standing here." She started walking down towards the outer wall. She realized that he had brought her to the opposite side of the labyrinth than what she had started at when she took the challenge. "Great, I'm going to have to find a new way through."

Or maybe Toby and Elizabeth weren't in yet? Maybe they were wandering around the edge. She looked out at the labyrinth and sighed. There was no way she could walk a full circuit around the labyrinth when it was still the size it had been when she was sixteen, now it was nearly twice as large.

"Oh, now what am I supposed to do?"

"I'd try getting to the center myself," a voice beside spoke, making her jump. "Good chance that _he's_ trying to lead the little girl there."

She jumped away, looking to her right to see a goblin. He was one of the stranger ones she'd seen since instead of two legs like most of them, he had eight crablike legs. To her surprise, she saw he was laying down bricks. _So that's how the labyrinth keeps getting bigger._ Made sense, even if it did take the mystery out of it. "Did you say Jareth's trying to lead a little girl to the center?" she asked worriedly.

"No, the king doesn't need to lead a little girl anywhere," the bricklayer answered her simply. "But he's not in the center."

"Who's at the center then?" she asked.

"Oh, you'll find out when you get there," he said, beginning to whistle.

"Are you telling me that I have to go to the center?" she asked, trying to not reach out and shake the answers from him.

"Well, how else will you get to the little girl and the boy then?"

"Boy?" she gasped. _Toby._

"Yes, he's going to be running there too soon," he answered.

_Well, at least I finally know where to go,_ she thought. "…why are you laying more bricks out here anyway? Shouldn't you be fixing the walls inside?"

"Not my job," he answered. "The others will get around to it soon."

"Others?"

"The ones to repair the walls will get started soon, the gardeners will get the hedges back," he told her nonchalantly. "Since the heir's finally come we have to make it look nice."

"Heir?" she asked. "Heir to what?"

"Heir to the labyrinth," he said. "You'd better get started, missie, or you won't get there in time."

"Well…thanks," she answered. _At least he was sorta helpful._ _Now how did I get in here last time?_ By asking the right question but would that work this time?

"By the way," the bricklayer began, "have you chosen what side you're on?"

She stopped and looked at him. "Well…" Technically Jareth was helping her find the others even if he had disappeared again. "I suppose Jareth's side."

The bricklayer finally turned away from his work to grin up at her. "At least _you_ know what side you're on."

Perplexed she turned back to look at the wall. "Well, thanks for your help-" she turned around to say good bye but all there was behind her was a wall. _I'm already in?_

She stared at the wall for a moment before shaking her head and starting to wall down the corridor. No time to waste if the bricklayer was right.

_Don't worry, guys, I'm coming._

* * *

**As a warning, I may not be able to update next week since I'm heading out with friends and won't have time to finish the next chapter. Hopefully I get it done before next Wednesday but if not I'll try to update as soon as possible.**


	4. What The Fairy Saw

**Sorry for being so late with this chapter, but my muse got up and left after my trip and I was distracted, of all things, by a video game! I've also been trying to tie up some background information for a book I want to write, so I've been busy.**

- -Chapter: Four- -

_"Have you seen a little girl somewhere around here?" he asked, not able to keep the pleading from his voice._

_To his great relief, she looked smug and answered him with "As a matter of fact, I did."_

Toby didn't know whether to toss up his hands and shout in celebration or shake the rest of the story out of the little fairy. "Well," he began, fighting the urge to snap at the fairy to hurry up. "Did she have dark brown hair and grey eyes?"

Hana thought for a moment, recalling the details of the girl she had seen. "That's about right. Not tall for you humans, I suppose," she said, starting to describe her. "Was wearing overalls, I think."

"That's her," Toby crowed happily. _I found her,_ he thought, wanting to shout and go find Sarah to tell her the good news. And then it hit him he didn't know where Sarah was, let alone himself.

_Never mind that, I'll worry about it after I find her,_ he decided. "What happened? Did she look okay to you?"

Hana raised a brow. "She _looked_ more or less fine. She kept screaming when I saw her."

Toby stopped cold. "Screaming?" he repeated, worry creeping deeper into his mind. "From what? What happened?"

"Well," Hana began, "I saw her when Stank and I were walking along the outer wall." Stank yapped in agreement before he began to try to make a mud angel making Toby blanch when he realized how he had wet the dirt to make the mud.

_That,_ he thought, trying to cover his expression, _is disgusting._ Shaking his head, he turned back to Hana. "Can you tell me everything you can remember?"

Hana smirked and nodded.

Hana's story (while amusing and interesting) was an exaggerated account of what happened, so to spare you the details of Toby trying to wrestle the full truth out of her, the unbiased truth is what follows:

After turning around to find nothing but nearly endless fields receding into mountains in the distance, Elizabeth couldn't help but scream in shock. She clapped a hand to her mouth to stop. Taking a deep breath, she realized that she was most definitely very far from home. _At least_, she thought, trying bravely to keep calm, _that thing is gone._

And it was, whatever it was; as she glanced around she saw no sign of the figure anywhere. It had simply vanished from sight, much to her relief.

"Where," she began, looking around more closely, "am I?" The nearly endless fields that stretched on were dried and brown. At the bottom of the shallow hill, she saw a dark, craggy ravine that went down deep into the earth. In spite of her fear, part of her was curious to see how deep the crack was. She walked down the hill until she came to the edge and leaned over the rim to peer down.

"Careful," a high voice snickered, making her jump. "or you'll fall down and no one will ever find you." With wide, fearful eyes, she turned and looked to see who had spoken.

Now most little girls thought fairies were good, helpful beings willing to grant wishes to those that help them; Elizabeth, however, had Sarah for a mother and she warned Elizabeth that fairies and pixies were in fact quite nasty and had a tendency to bite. One could hardly blame her then for what happened next; she looked around and then, when nothing appeared to her, down to find one of said nasty fairies ride astride a small, shaggy monster. Her reaction was, in the very least, quite candid.

She opened her mouth and screamed as she scrambled back—right into the crack the fairy had just warned her about. As she felt her foot slip off the ledge, she began to scream for an entirely different reason.

She was so busy screaming and being frightened in general that she never heard the rumble of rocks as suddenly the rock face of the crevice opened and swallowed her up. Hana, in all of this commotion, merely peered over the edge to see the rocks close before shrugging.

"Looks like she's landed in a tunnel," she told Stank distractedly. "Maybe the cleaners will get her or she'll just be lost down there till she croaks." She shrugged again and spurred Stank onward since all the excitement literally disappeared.

Elizabeth however was not taking things as well as Hana; the moment the rock face opened her back slammed onto it, causing her to flip and roll head over heels down a bumpy chute until she finally managed in a dank tunnel as the opening snapped shut.

"Oww," she whined, patting the back of her head for bumps. She huffed when her fingers found several but she quickly forgot her pain when she felt water seeping into her overall's pant legs. With a yelp, she jumped up out of the puddle she had been sitting in.

"Yuck," she grumbled, trying to wring some of the water out of pant leg. "Why is all of this happening to me?" She was tempted to shout about how unfair it was, however, since there was no one but her around she decided to save her breath.

After she wrung as much water out as she could, she looked around. "_Now_ where am I?" she muttered. She looked back up to the small chute she fell down only to find it gone. "What-?" she asked, fear creeping back into her voice. "What's going on?"

There was no answer, not that she had really been expecting one. Turning slowly around, she tore her gaze from wall where the chute disappeared. Biting her lip, she looked down the long tunnel. Somehow light illuminated sections of the tunnel but there were no light bulbs, nor openings in the ceiling to light through. Curious but still too frightened to investigate further; she began to walk down the tunnel.

"_No point in just standing there,"_ her mother would have said, or she supposed she would have, so she began to look around, trying to find a way out.

"Hello?" she called down the tunnel, hoping someone who could help might find her. "Can somebody get me outta here?"

A noise from her right made her jump and splash herself into another puddle, but when she looked nothing was there. Biting her lip, she began to move forward again as paranoia began to seep into her mind.

"Is anybody here?" she tried again. Still there was no answer.

She found herself standing in a junction with three other tunnels to choose. "Oh great," she muttered, trying to sound cross and not scared out of her wits. "Now which way do I go?"

To her right she heard a rock suddenly skid over the crumbling cobblestones of the floor. She looked down the tunnel and made out a vague shape approaching her. Her fears began to mount as the figure came closer.

"I'd go right myself," the figure said suddenly, stepping out in the light. Elizabeth couldn't but feel instant relief when she realized that it had only been a man. "But really, it's your choice, Elizabeth."

She blinked owlishly at him. "You know my name?"

He smiled, revealing a bright, even rows of teeth that looked like it came off the cover of a magazine. "I know lots of things," he told. He was a very striking looking person with black hair and dark eyes. He dressed garishly with a black cape over a black poet's shirt and black leggings tucked into tall black boots. He looked like a brave knight errant or a prince out of a fairytale.

_He's very handsome_, she decided and fought not to smile up shyly. Her mother had always warned her about strangers, but at the moment she was in serious need of help. Perhaps her mother would forgive her just this once. She licked her lips eagerly before speaking. "Do you know the way out of here?"

"As a matter of fact," he answered with a grin, "I do."

Elizabeth nearly shouted in relief but couldn't help but sigh contentedly. _Finally_, she thought. _Now I can leave this place and get home._ "Can you show me?" she asked eagerly, nearly bouncing in excitement.

The man laughed at her eagerness. "Oh, I suppose so, my dear," he answered before reaching a hand out to her. "Shall we, Elizabeth?"

"Yes please," she grinned, taking his hand. He gave her small hand a pat and he began to lead her down the tunnel he appeared from. "What's your name?" she asked curiously.

"I am called Deonte," he said with a grin.

"What were you doing here?" she asked. She couldn't wait to leave this dank place, why would anyone come down here willingly?

"I spend much of my time here," he answered, looking somber. Elizabeth stared at the change; he had been so jovial seconds before now he looked so serious. He caught her curious look. "You see my dear, I'm forced to hide here," he looked bleak as he turned his gaze farther down the tunnel.

"You are? Why? Who's forcing you?" she asked in surprise.

He sighed wearily. "I was forced out of the castle by a wicked king," he answered. Elizabeth gasped in sympathy. "I had been living in the castle beyond the Labyrinth but now…" he trailed off and sighed.

"The Labyrinth?" she repeated.

He nodded. "We are under the Labyrinth now, you see." He lifted his other hand and gestured to the ceiling.

"But I don't want to go into a Labyrinth," she whined in dismay.

He raised his brows in surprise. "But you must go—it's the only way. You must go to the Goblin King and petition him to return you to your world."

"My world?" she squeaked. "The Goblin King? Didn't he make you leave? Why would he help me?"

"Yes, dear child," he answered her solemnly. "You are obviously human. And the only times humans enter is when they take up the challenge of the labyrinth. Since I doubt you're here for that, you must go to the king." He shook his head. "If I were the king, my dear, I would send you home in a second but alas…"

She was quiet as she processed this new information. _The challenge of the labyrinth? The Goblin King?_ She sighed, "I wish you were. I need to get home soon…" _Momma and Uncle Toby must be worried…_ She sniffed at the thought. _I wish I hadn't run out into the stupid woods. I wish I hadn't argued with momma…_

_"Be careful what you wish,"_ her mother's voice chimed in her head. Well, there wasn't like there was much to do now anyways.

Deonte patted her hand again and turned a corner. They walked for a little longer before they came upon a large set of double doors. "Here we are," he announced to her.

"Is it locked?" she asked curiously, peering at the door.

"Well, yes," he answered with a mischievous grin. "But a little magic can fix that."

"Magic?" she repeated and watched with wide eyes as Deonte raised a hand and ran it down the wood. She gasped as the doors simply fell off their hinges and collapsed to the ground in a clatter.

"See?" he said, gesturing to the fallen doors. "Come along now." He helped her over the doors and pointed to the wall. Elizabeth squinted and realized he was pointing at a rickety looking ladder. "Here we are. Up you go," he ordered her cheerfully, pushing her to it.

Elizabeth eyed the ladder with serious misgivings. "It-it doesn't look safe," she squeaked.

"It's the only way out, dearie," he said, giving her a little harder of a push.

"I-I," she bit her lip. "Can you go first? I really don't think-"

"No," he answered sternly. "I can't leave the tunnels. Now go, you have to hurry."

"But I'm afraid," she wailed; in her mind she remembered the time her father had climbed up a ladder to put up Christmas lights on the roof, only to fall down and had to be rushed to the hospital. He had broken both of his legs doing that, but all Christmas he had shrugged from his easy chair and said he'd been lucky not to break his neck. What if she fell now too? There didn't seem to be any hospitals around to patch her up if she got hurt. "Please, I-"

_**"No,"**_ he thundered at her making her jump in shock. Where was the collected, kind man who had lead her down the tunnels? Perhaps he realized how badly he had frightened her because he ducked his head and gave a self-deprecating smile before trying to speak again. "You have to go up the ladder and I can't come."

She shifted, eyeing him warily. What if he shouted at her again? "…I don't know the way to the castle," she said, trying to remind him she had no idea where she was and perhaps guilt him into going with her.

He smiled at her. "You'll be able to see it, my dear, I have faith you can find it easily enough." He gave her a small push to the ladder. "Now go, and hurry."

She pouted but supposed that she was just going to have to leave her new friend behind. "Okay," she mumbled. She turned and stared at the ladder; with a deep gulp, she marshaled her courage and began to climb up the ladder before turning back to look at him once more. "Goodbye, Deonte, thank you for helping me."

He smiled cheerfully at her. "Goodbye, Elizabeth, and good luck." She smiled back at him and nodded before beginning to climb again. As she climbed out of eyeshot, he muttered under his breath. "You'll need it."

He cocked his head and smirked as he heard her open the lid to the opening and then close again. He chucked before turning around and glaring at a damp wall in disgust. "The heirs are chosen then. Now I can finally get out of this dump," he grumbled before disappearing.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Toby began, looking cross and tired. Getting the truth out of Hana had been harder than he'd thought. "You saw my niece fall into a deep crack and then into a chute that leads to the tunnels under the labyrinth?"

"Yep," she answered with a shrug. "Happens all the time around here: you fall in, walk around for a bit till you get out or you drop dead."

He grimaced; he didn't need the mental image of his niece dropping dead in some dank tunnel. "So, she's in the labyrinth then?"

"Under it," she corrected him before looking contemplative. "Well, if she found a ladder or something, she'll be out."

"Elizabeth's a smart girl," he sighed. "She's probably out by now." He stood up despite the protests of his aching knees-crouching down for nearly half an hour was not good for them-and stared at the labyrinth's walls. "So, she's running around, lost in an oversized maze. Nice."

"It's not a maze, it's a labyrinth," Hana corrected him. "There's a difference."

"Whatever," he muttered, studying the wall. He walked over to it and began to stare at one section attentively.

"You won't get in that easy," Hana called, mounting back up onto Stank and getting the small rock caller to walk over to him. "I've been looking since I got tossed out and I haven't found the way in yet."

"Maybe," he said quietly, "you're just not looking right." With that, he lifted his hand and tried to press in against the wall. Instead of it touching the bricks, it continued on, unimpeded earning a gasp from Hana. Toby laughed. "See, Hana? There's plenty of openings."

"How'd you do that?" she asked, spurring Stank forward. Stank lifted a cautious paw only to have it met open air as well.

"I think it's an optical illusion," he answered, taking his hand back.

"What's that?"

"Um," he began, blinking in surprise. "It's like a trick to fool your eyes."

"Toby found a way in," a voice called. Toby blinked and looked to see Skub racing over excitedly. "Skub thought he'd have to show the way in, but Toby is very good too-"

"Die, goblin!" Hana crowed at the sight of him. Skub stopped dead and stared in wide eye surprise—he'd forgotten the fairy being there in all his excitement. Hana began to charge Stank and Skub squeaked, turning to run away.

"Woah, hold it, hold it," Toby shouted, snatching up Hana and scooping up Stank too for good measure. "Easy, Hana, I need his help. Don't shiskabob him yet."

"Whatever," the little fairy snapped. "Put me down." Skub looked very much like he wanted Toby to keep holding the fairy away from him but didn't say anything as Toby put her and Stank down.

"Alright, guys," Toby began, eyeing all three of them to make sure Hana didn't try to murder the goblin. "Is there anyway you can think of for me to find my niece?"

Hana shrugged but Skub carefully raised his hand after a moment. Toby raised a brow at him.

"Yes, Skub?" he asked.

Skub put his hand down and stood at attention. "If I was looking for somebody in the labyrinth, I'd go to the Goblin King to ask for help."

"Bah, Goblin King," Hana huffed.

_The same guy who tore off Hana's wings is going to help me find my niece?_ Toby thought with a grimace. Maybe since Skub was a goblin he could get the Goblin King to listen. Well, if he'd help him find Elizabeth… "Okay, Skub will you show me the way to castle?"

Skub brightened and nodded. Hana sneered in disgust at his overwhelming joy to be helpful but Stank seemed to not be upset at all to see a goblin joining their little band.

"Okay, Skub," Toby began, gesturing to the opening. "Lead the way." He turned and looked to Hana. "You coming too?"

"'Course I am, nothing better to do around here," she huffed but she looked more excited than cross to get in.

Skub nodded and hurried in. Toby paused and let Stank and Hana go in ahead of him before stepping through into the labyrinth himself. Inside the labyrinth didn't seem much different the outside, besides from a few strange patches of lichen with eyeballs. _Strange place,_ he thought to himself.

"Okay, Skub, which way do we go-" Toby began, looking down. As he looked down however, he discovered that he was quite alone and that the three of them had vanished. "-first?"

He stared at the ground for a moment more before bursting into a loud string of curses.

"DAMN IT ALL, why do all the people I meet disappear on me?" he shouted, shaking a fist at the overcast sky.

He continued for another minute or so before running out of breath. Left gasping for air, he gave the wall one more glare. He straightened and began to try to calm himself down.

"Alright, alright, I have to get to the castle." He had seen the castle from his time on the hill; he had wandered around the labyrinth's outer wall so… "It must be that way," he decided looking to his right. He began to walk forward down the long corridor.

He hadn't walked very far before he paused and studied the wall beside him. He gazed at it for a moment before sticking his hand out. It met with open air and he laughed. "Another opening. I'm good at this," he chuckled to himself as he began to step through.

However, before he could even get his foot into the next passage he heard what sounded to be a loud chorus of groans. Stepping back in surprise he looked around. His eyes finally landed on three patches of lichen with eyes, as they wriggled about they made the odd groaning noise he had heard before.

"What? C'mon, I have to go through there," he protested before realizing he was arguing with lichen of all things. "This place really is nutty…"

He watched as the lichen moved it's "limbs" pointing farther down the corridor.

"Ah, c'mon, I'll never get anywhere if I don't go further in," he argued, not caring anymore.

The lichen began to groan louder and point more, nearly flattening themselves against the wall to point all the eyes and limbs in the same direction.

"Okay, okay," he huffed. "I can take a hint." He looked down the corridor and then back to the passage beside him before sighing. "This is _insane_…" he grumbled to them before setting off down the corridor. "Later."

The lichen made another noise, this time sounding oddly like cheering. In spite of himself, he began to smile. Well, at least _someone_ was rooting him on. He waved back to them as he went on.

From the passage Toby had just forsaken, Jareth stepped out and stared after him before turning to look at the lichen. "Since when have you been so helpful to outsiders?" he asked snidely. To his surprise they didn't cower, instead most of the eyes turned back to watch Toby's retreating figure.

"There's only supposed to be two heirs," he snapped all though it wasn't clear if he was talking to the lichen or the Labyrinth as a whole. "There are only two of us that need to be represented…"

He trailed off and quietly studied the wall next to him. "…unless, you have choosen your own…?"

There was no answer but he cursed anyway.

"Damn," he muttered, glancing down the way Toby had gone. "This complicates matters."

From somewhere deep in the Labyrinth a laugh came. Jareth gave the wall a cross look before shaking his head and chuckling himself.

"Do as you wish, but I will still win," he told it solemnly.

There was no answer again so he sighed and disappeared.

* * *

Sarah, on the far side of the Labyrinth, was having problems of her own. She had gotten into the labyrinth easily enough but now she could only wander in what she hoped was the general direction of the castle. The walls were much higher on this side of the Labyrinth and she couldn't see over them. When she had tried to climb up the wall to see over it, if not just to jump to the other side, it had bent like it was made of rubber and dropped her back to the ground where she had cursed it for a minute.

"When I get out of here," she muttered to herself. "I am going to punch the living daylights out of that bastard for dropping me in the middle of nowhere with no idea how to get to the center."

"That sounds like fun. Can I help?"

Sarah stopped, glaring ahead. She was getting used to all these voices talking to her from out of nowhere. First, it had been Jareth, then the bricklayer, and as she had walked down the corridors and passages tiny voices started talking to each other as she passed. It was startling at first, now it was just plain annoying (and slightly creepy). She glanced to her side to find she had almost walked straight past a courtyard. _This wasn't here a moment ago,_ she thought grumpily.

Inside the courtyard, a dark haired and clothed man sat at a bench. He was handsome in the same sense Jareth was: otherworldly and dangerously. He grinned at her and Sarah felt goose bumps line her flesh.

"Excuse me?" she began, wary. "What was that?"

"Knock him out," the man clarified. "I've been wanting to give Jareth the ol' one-two myself."

Sarah eyed him carefully before stepping into the courtyard. It wasn't like the one in the hedge maze; instead, it had no statues and seemed bare in comparison. "Have you?"

"Oh yes," he began. "I'm afraid I hadn't the courage to yet. But you being the Champion and all, you must be brave enough to give it a go."

"Champion?" she asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion. She'd been called a lot things, but champion wasn't one of them.

"You're Sarah Williams, are you not? The one to best the labyrinth," he said, crossing his legs to prop his arm for him to put his chin on.

She stared at him. "I am."

He grinned wickedly at her. "I thought so," he commented, getting up from the bench and clasping his arms behind his back. "You are a brave one," he mentioned as he walked to her, then past her to circle around her back. She kept a careful eye on him as he walked around her. "Too bad your daughter's not as brave."

Her heart nearly jumped into her throat. "You've seen my daughter?"

"Elizabeth? Yes, I have," he answered as he completed the circuit and stopped in front of her. "She's fine and on her way to the castle as we speak."

Whatever unforgiving thoughts she might have had about him vanished. "Oh thank you for telling me," she told him gratefully. "I have to hurry then, please excuse me and thanks again for-"

"Such a pity she isn't as pretty as you," he remarked suddenly, making Sarah blink in surprise. Some of those misgivings started racing back into her mind at an alarming rate. "But then again, I suppose I'll have to make do."

Sarah's face went white. "What?"

"I'd have preferred to have someone as pretty as you, but Jareth had already had you marked so I'll just have to make do with Elizabeth," he said with a shrug, turning and beginning to walk away. "It's a shame you won't make to the center either, but I can't be having Jareth's heir winning."

"What the hell are you talking about?" she snapped, fear chilling her blood.

The man turned and smiled at her. "Forgive me, fair Champion, but this is politics and far beyond mortals. Farewell, fair Sarah." And with that, he disappeared.

"_Wait_ _just one sec_-" she began, reaching out to grasp his cape as he disappeared only to miss by a moment. She cursed as she felt nothing before straightening to stare at the place he had been moments before.

"What did he mean, make do with Elizabeth? Or me not making it? Or being Jareth's heir for that matter?" she asked grumpily to the air in front of her. She pressed her hand to her temple where she felt a migraine begin to start beneath the skin. "Forget pounding Jareth's face in, when I get a hold of _that_ guy, I'm gonna smash his stupid-"

She stopped as she felt something decidedly off beginning to happen around her. She looked around and saw that the courtyard's entrances, of which there had been quite a few, had disappeared.

"Damn it," she growled, looking around. "Stuck again." With a sigh, she began to walk forward only to yelp in surprise as her foot sank straight through ground.

The entire ground beneath her rippled and she felt herself beginning to sink fast. "H-hey!" she shouted, trying to reach for the bench only to see it sink through the ground in front of her. She had read before you shouldn't try to struggle in quicksand but this was solid stone she was sinking through.

She gasped as she felt her shoulders beginning to sink. It was like the time they had went to Lake Ontario in the early morning and Toby had dunked her head beneath the frigid waves. She felt a similar freezing feeling taking over her, making her body listless and unresponsive. The only things above the ground were her head and her right arm, waving desperately for something to grab. She watched in horror as she sank up to her eyes, she clutched them shut and began to wave in faster desperation.

Just as she felt her air running out and her lungs beginning to burn, she felt something grasp her by her wrist above the surface and pull her out. She came loose from the ground shockingly well, and began to cough and gasp as she lay against the cold ground.

"Sarah okay?" asked a familiar voice and Sarah looked up in shock to see none other than Ludo looking down worriedly at her.

"Ludo!" she cried in surprise and delight before tossing herself at him. "Oh, Ludo, thank you," she laughed and cried all at once.

Ludo put his own arms around her, gently lest he crush her, and held her back. "Ludo glad Sarah back."

"Oh, I'm so happy to see you too, Ludo," she sniffed. "Thank you so much."

Ludo grinned foolishly down at her. "Ludo glad to help."

As she smiled up at him, she couldn't but think _At least __**one**__ thing went right._ "Ludo," she began, "how did you know I was here?"

"Told to come," he answered, helping her to stand.

She gave him a confused look. "By who?"

Ludo shrugged. "Jareth."


	5. Companions

- -Chapter: Five- -

Elizabeth peeked cautiously out of the end of the hole she was in, sliding a pottery lid to the side only to cringe as she heard said lid fall and shatter. Sticking her head out of the hole, she saw only a few walls of dead bushes as if it was once a grand hedge maze. Well, since she didn't see anyone so she guessed she was safe for now. _However_, she thought, _I should probably get away from the scene of the crime before I get caught._

She crawled out the hole only to realize her ladder had lead her out of a giant pot like one Elizabeth had seen her mother use for potted trees that she would abandon in corners of rooms. She hopped down off the table it was sitting on and looked at it. There was a gap from the vase to the ground she realized making her frown in confusion.

_How did I-? _she thought. She hopped back up onto the table and looked into the vase. She peeked down and saw her ladder once more. She hopped down and stared at the tall vase once more. A headache began to develop behind her eyes as she tried to figure out the mystery of the vase. She tossed her hands in the air and rubbed her temples to try relieving the pain thumping there.

"Oh, what's going on here?" she asked aloud. When no answer presented itself, she huffed and stamped a foot. "This isn't fair."

"You are so like your mother, it's scary," a voice told her seriously. She blinked and looked up to see a small man with a bulbous nose and warty face. He looked like a dwarf from the storybook her mother had read Snow White. His expression looked caught from being fierce and rather stumped.

His words caught to her in a moment after she took in his appearance and she nearly pounced on him in excitement. "You know my mother?" she shouted, clutching at his vest.

"Ye-e-es, now knock that off," he snapped at her but he didn't come off as stern enough to squash Elizabeth's excitement. "How'd you get in here?"

"The vase," she answered quickly. "Do you know where my mother is?" she asked.

"The vase?" he asked, looking past her before scowling. "Look at the mess you've managed to make there-"

"Mister-dwarf-goblin-whatever-you-are, where's my mom?" she asked again, tugging on his head as if to bring him back to the question she had posed.

"My name is Hoggle," he glared at her but relented. "Yes-" She let out a shout of relief before he could finish. He sighed at her impatience to let him finish his sentence. "She's heading to the center, after you."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, I was getting so scared," she explained. "Am I far the castle? Is she? When can I see her again? Do you know the way to-"

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT," he snapped as he glared. She fell silent but smiled at him to try and butter him up a little so he would answer her. "Let a dwarf finish will you? Hmph. Alright, first thing's first, yeah, you still got a-ways to go before you get anywhere near the castle." She sighed and he glared at her again to remind her that he was talking. "Your mother's still also got a-ways to go too but knowing the little lady, she'll get there soon enough."

"…but how do you know my mother?" she asked again quietly. He paused and gulped.

"Well, who _doesn't_ know Sarah?" he answered nervously. "I mean she's the Champion. She's _beaten_ the Labyrinth."

"…Mom beat the Labyrinth?" she asked in quiet awe. Then she scrunched up her face in confusion. Why had no one told her that her mother had come here? Why hadn't her_ mother_ told her that she had come there?

Hoggle swallowed quickly when he realized that perhaps he hadn't exactly answered right. Glancing at her, he decided to change the subject to distract her from her confusion. "And no," he began slowly, catching her attention. "I can't come with you," he clarified as he watched her face fall.

"But why?" she asked in something akin to despair.

For once in the entire time that she had been talking to him, she watched his face twist into true anger. "It's the rules that-that-usurper made up," he growled.

_Whoever this usurper is, he must be bad,_ Elizabeth decided as she looked at Hoggle. "…okay," she sighed. "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble cause of me then."

She looked down at one of the passages leading out of the courtyard she and Hoggle was in. When she glanced back at Hoggle, she saw he had sympathy on his face before he realized she was looking at him. When he did, he began to scowl again making Elizabeth giggle. He wasn't as gruff as he tried to look like she realized.

"Look," he began.

"Elizabeth," she said quietly. He paused but nodded.

"Elizabeth. I can't help you but if you keep going, you'll definitely run into someone else who can help," he said. "It's just that _I_ can't help."

"…why not?"

He seemed to realize what he had said and scowled as he began to fuss with his clothes. They were ragged, patched clothes that looked like they could have befitted a lord had they been in a better state. "It's the rules," he grumbled.

Elizabeth lifted a brow but didn't bother to argue with him on it. "…I'll tell my mom that her friend Hoggle helped me then…"

"You do tha-" he stopped and shouted in outrage.

"AHA," she cheered eagerly. "You do know my mom then."

Hoggle glared. "Ain't saying another word more. You-" he pointed at her before grabbing her shoulders before spinning her about-face and giving her a bit of a shove. "-get going."

"Hmph," she huffed satisfied that she had won that little round. "I'm going, I'm going," she said, skipping a bit over to the archway in front of her. She paused to look back at him, frowning. "Bye, Hoggle."

He lifted his brows as if he had been pleasantly surprised and nodded. "See you again, little missy. I hope."

The darker connotation of his last words flew over her head. She nodded in turn and took off down the passage. Hoggle sighed and shook his head.

"Good luck, little missy," he said to her back as it retreated behind a hedge. He blinked when he saw fresh green buds sprouted on the limbs as she passed. "What in the-" He was distracted however when he heard a voice behind him.

"Hog's face, what _is it_ with you and girls, anyway?" Jareth asked as he stepped out from around a hedge. Hoggle stared in shock.

"Jareth?" he gasped. "You came back?"

Jareth glared at him in turn. "This is still my kingdom and I am still its king. No upstart vagabond can oust me."

"-yet," Hoggle muttered under his breath as Jareth gave him a darker look. "Oh, it ain't like you can do much more to me—the Bog's accepted me and that's that," he finished in distaste. Jareth snickered at him. "…is the little girl…?"

Jareth raised a brow at him. "Yes?"

Hoggle glowered at his feet. "She won't get hurt, will she?"

"Would it be a tragedy if she did?" Jareth retorted blandly. For once Hoggle glared up at his face.

"Sarah'd never forgive you if something happened to her," he snapped. To his surprise the king didn't even bother to refute this.

"Undoubtedly," he answered and that was that.

* * *

Toby grumbled as he walked down the corridor. It had been an hour or so since he had lost sight of Hana, Stank, and Skub leaving him plagued with wondering what happened to them. This combined with his worry for his niece and frustration of the every twisting passages of the labyrinth left him in a foul mood.

"When I get to the end of this, I'm going to strangle this king for wasting all my time when I should be-" he paused and looked at the wall to his side.

He halted in front of a section of destroyed part of the wall. Seeing no more of the "helpful" eye lichen, he decided to step into the opening.

Toby stumbled out of the passage nearly planting his face into the ground as his foot caught a brick as he tried to step over it. He caught himself at the last moment and straightened too fast; the world spun so he scrunched his eyes closed and took several steadying breaths. When he opened his eyes, he peered around to see where he had ended up.

He had entered a junction; several different passages stood before him and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw the hole in the wall he had come from seal up into smooth stone. _No going back,_ he thought distantly, turning forward again.

_Which one?_ he thought, swallowing harshly around the lump that had formed in his throat. There were at least five different openings, none following a similar direction. He turned about in a slow circle, trying to decide which one to go down.

_Which one?_ he thought, hysteria beginning to take root deep in his mind. _What if Lizzie needs me? What if she's hurt? _He began to spin a little faster, his thoughts whirling around as well. _Damn it, which one? Which one?_

_I'm going to panic_, he thought distantly and took a breath to steady himself once more. _Easy, calm down. _He took another breath before letting go. _Need to stay calm. Lizzie needs you, so you __**have**__ to stay calm._

_Okay, okay, calm. I can do calm._ One more deep breath and he finally composed himself. Then he blinked. "What the hell was that about?" he asked aloud and glanced about.

He saw the passages again but now that he looked again he saw something else as well: lights. Tiny bubbles of lights floated around him, scarcely bigger than pebbles.

"What _are_ these?" he asked, reaching out and gently tapped a light. The instant his finger touched the light, the lights swarmed in mass and despite himself, the hysteria came back, stronger than before.

"Fucking—the lights!" he grunted as the truth hit him; it was the lights themselves that were doing this to him. However, no matter what he tried he couldn't soothe himself down like before. As his panic mounted, he tried to remember Elizabeth, lost in the labyrinth, and Sarah, waiting for the two of them.

It didn't work. No matter how hard he tried to focus on them, the thoughts slipped away, swallowed up by his alarm.

_Something…someone…I have to-_ he thought wildly, grasping for a memory to hold on to. _Someone…_

…_help…_

And then he found one. As he hunched over, still shaking in horror he remembered a memory of his father.

Toby had been five at the time, and down with a serious case of the flu. His mother and Sarah, who had come from college to check up on him, had left to go do errands and get more medication for him, so his father had sat up with him in his room. Through the pain brought on by the sickness, he remembered his father sitting beside him in a chair he'd dragged from the kitchen, clasping his hand, singing low and off key.

"_Dad?"_ he coughed, clutching desperately to his hand. _"I'm scared."_

"_Don't be," _his father had whispered since loud voices pained him. _"I'm here, shh. Sleep."_

He'd fallen asleep afterward and woken up to found his father half-asleep and still singing.

_What did he sing? _he thought desperately, trying to grasp at the words.

"Soldier boy…" Yes, that had been it. "Soldier boy, hold fast…"

He had to get out of there—those lights, whatever they were, were going to drive him insane. He began to turn again, glancing down the passageways.

"Soldier boy go marching on…"

_Not that way, _he decided, ruling out a passage that went in a similar direction from the one he'd come from,_ but which way?_ he thought, straightening a little more, spinning still.

"Go marching home, soldier boy…"

The lights began to blink out of existence, retreating from him as he began to slow down again.

"Hold fast, soldier boy…" he sang a little quieter. "Soldier boy, hold…"

Finally, he slowed to a stop. In front of him, a passageway seemed a dead end. Even the lights didn't stay near this passage.

_This one,_ he thought. Behind him, a breeze picked up, almost as if pushing him down the passage. Without a second thought he started to walk forward, letting the breeze tug on him as it passed. Slowly the breeze picked up, his speed along with it. Without thinking a second more on it he began to stop walking, working his way into a jog then into a full-fledged run.

On the wind he heard a laugh and he answered with one of his own as he nearly flew done the passage. He'd never run this fast before and he began to draw harsh pants but never slowed.

Beneath him, the Labyrinth stretched on and the dead end he'd thought he'd seen also stretched. He raced towards it but then he passed _through_ it.

_A fake dead end,_ he wondered but didn't stop. He was practically airborne at the speed he was going and on either side of him he heard laughter.

The Labyrinth was laughing.

* * *

Sarah herself had recovered well from her near brush with death as Ludo helped her to her feet. She was, however, puzzled. "What do you mean Jareth told you to?"

"Jareth said 'Ludo help Sarah' and Ludo helped Sarah," he answered as if it was as simple as that.

Sarah frowned. _I suppose this really does mean we're on the same side_, she thought. Then she caught the worried look on Ludo's face and smiled at him to reassure him. "I'm glad you found me then, Ludo," she told him sincerely, making his face light up. "C'mon, you gotta help me," she said, giving his arm a tug.

He cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Ludo did help," he reminded her.

"No, I mean will you help me find Toby and my daughter?" she asked, looking up at him hopefully. "Won't you help me?"

Ludo's face fell and he shook his head. "No."

"No?" she repeated. "Why?"

"Ludo _can't_," he answered. "Rules."

"Who's rules? Jareth's rules?" she asked, her hackles rising. _Oh when I get a hold of that guy-_

Ludo shook his head vigorously. "No," he answered.

"Well then, who…" she paused as she saw his face become anxious. "…can't you tell me Ludo? Can you tell me what happened to the Labyrinth?"

Ludo looked scared but leaned closer to her. "Deonte," he said quietly then reeled back and looked around as if checking to see if someone had appeared at the mere mention of the name.

"Who's Deonte?" she asked in confusion. Ludo tried to shush her of all things.

"Sarah go, get daughter," he said, pushing her to an entrance that had appeared in the wall. "Ludo stay."

"But-Ludo-" she tried to begin but he pushed her anxiously. She let out one more sound of protest as he shoved her out into the corridor, almost sending her toppling onto her face. "Ludo-"

She turned and glanced backward; the entrance had disappeared once more.

"Oh honestly," she sighed. "Is it so much to ask for a little help?" she asked the world at large. Which she didn't expect was to get an answer.

"Skub don't think so," a little voice piped up beneath her. Sarah paused and glanced down to see a pig-nosed goblin looking up at her. "I could actually use some help myself," Skub admitted.

Sarah raised a brow (which Skub tried to mimic only to fail). "Are you lost?"

"No, I'm not lost," he told her, looking around. "I'm looking for Toby. He said he needed me."

Sarah's jaw dropped but the goblin didn't seem to have noticed. Before she could say anything, a small creature that could have been Ludo in miniature came around the bend with a fairy perched on its back.

"Great going, goblin, now we've really lost him," the fairy snapped at Skub before turning to Sarah. "And who's that?" She paused, cocking her head to the side and giving Sarah a strange look. "You look familiar."

"Hmm," Sarah answered noncommittally, turning her attention back to Skub. "Did you say To-"

"Ah, that's it—you look like the kid Toby's looking for," the fairy said, interrupting her. Sarah's eyes widened as she turned back to the fairy.

"…Elizabeth?" she suggested quietly.

"Yeah, that's what Toby called her," the fairy nodded, looking smug for her discovery. "Let me guess—you're looking for her too? And Toby?"

"Yes," she answered eagerly. "Where is he? Do you know where Elizabeth is?"

"She fell down into the tunnels," the fairy said with a shrug. "Toby insisted on going to the castle because _this_ idiot," she pointed to Skub, "suggested it and as soon as we passed through that damn wall, we lost him."

"Skub did not lose him on purpose," the goblin insisted. "If we go to the castle we could still catch him."

"So, you're heading to the castle too, huh?" Sarah asked. Now this _**had**_ to be more than mere coincidence. She just wondered how many other people were going to end up meeting with her before she made it to the castle. _For being supposedly deserted,_ she thought, _I sure keep running into people._ "And you said that you seen a girl who looks like me around here?"

"Not around here," the fairy corrected, "but yeah, I saw her." The fairy studied her for a moment. "You're Toby's sister aren't you?"

"Yes," she answered. She offered her hand to the small fairy. "My name is Sarah."

The fairy lifted a brow and shook the tip of her finger. "I'm Hana, this," she said pointing down at the rock caller, "is Stank," she rolled her eyes and made a careless gesture over towards Skub. "And that useless piece of trash over there is Skub."

"I am not useless," Skub scowled, looking like a five-year-old ready to throw a tantrum. He turned to Sarah and looked up at her. "Skub is _not_ useless." _Right?_

Sarah sighed. "I'm sure you're not," she answered trying to placate the little goblin before he really did have a fit. She saw Hana begin to retort and quickly spoke to make sure the argument stopped. "Since you are heading to the castle, would you mind if I join you?"

Hana shrugged but Skub looked delighted—more likely because he wouldn't be alone with a snide fairy than he was that she was actually joining them. "The castle's this way," he crowed happily, pointing to his left down a long but surprisingly wide corridor.

_Was it this wide before? _Sarah wondered but discarded the thought after a moment. Since when hadn't the labyrinth changed? The three of them set off down the passageway.

Not too far from them, Toby still ran on. He had moved faster and farther and the labyrinth had wound itself so Sarah had become closer to him than before. As he ran, however, a sudden chill tingled down his back making him draw to a hurried stop. For a moment, he remained perched precariously on wall of the labyrinth, trying to look for whatever had disturbed him. Although he couldn't see anything near him, a wind meandered past him, whispering its secrets.

Toby cursed and nearly flew as he ran, this time in a different direction.

Back with Sarah and the small group she had joined, they hadn't made it far before they came to a large junction. Skub stood and looked about. After a moment or so, Hana began to glare at him.

"Don't tell me you got _us_ lost too?" she huffed.

Skub however didn't defend himself; on the contrary, he looked spooked. "This," he said quietly, "shouldn't be here."

"It's a junction, of course it should be here," she retorted.

"No, he's right," Sarah began, feeling goose bumps lining her arms. "Something doesn't feel right." Hana for her part just huffed but noticed Stank had begun to shake—something had him spooked too. Nothing happened for a moment and Sarah decided to try and ignore the eerie feeling that reigned over the place. "C'mon, let's get going."

Skub nodded, eager to leave. "This way," he said, pointing to the passage to their right. The three of them walked over to it; in his eagerness to leave, Skub was the first through followed closely by Stank and Hana. Sarah however, took her time to follow them, letting her feet drag a bit as she tried to rub warmth into her arms.

_Why do I feel so cold?_ She wondered to herself; before she had never felt a chill in the labyrinth, even with the thick mists clinging to everything. She glanced up to see Hana and Stank enter the passage and frowned, trying to move a little faster. As she began to walk towards them, she let out a shriek as some_thing_ grabbed her ankle.

It snagged her and gave a hard pull sending her crashing to her knees. She glanced back and saw a hand sprouting straight from the ground holding her fast. It vaguely resembled the "Helping Hands" from when she had fallen down a hole and had been caught by them.

"Let me go," she shouted to them, hoping they would comply like the helping hands had before. However, they held fast and in fear, she turned her head to yell for Hana, Stank, or Skub to help. When she looked up, she saw the walls had closed in on all the exits but the ones from where they had come and the one leading straight into the junction from the opposite direction, trapping her once more.

_This_, she thought through her fear,_ is getting really old._ At least she wasn't sinking through the ground this time, she thought. She tried to tug her leg loose but still the hand refused to budge.

As she tried to free her ankle, a loud rumble and tremor shook the ground. She paused at the sound and glanced up; far up ahead there was a loud crash and a mammoth sized rock began to roll in here direction. Indiana Jones flashed in her memory and she began to tug harder.

"_Let-me-go_," she growled, repeating it until it became a mantra as she tried to free herself. She glanced up to see the rock spinning faster and faster; soon it would smash her flat. "Let go-"

With a violent tug, she freed her leg. She jumped up as the hand tried to reach for again before disappearing, looking to her side, she saw why: the rock was a yard away now, there was no way she could out run it now. She watched with wide horrified eyes.

_I am so sorry for everything I've ever done, but if someone could get me outta this I promise I won't ever lie or cheat or-_

As she prayed to whatever deity might have been listening and watching her doom race at her, she felt a solid weight slam into her and to her surprise, she went straight through the wall, actually crashing through the bricks straight into another passage. Her head nearly bounced off the cobblestones and she glanced up to see the rock careen past her still rolling down the passage she had just left.

She sat up and looked down to see what had run into her. To her surprise, she found it to be a some_one_. "…Toby?"

Panting and nearly collapsed, Toby glanced up at her from where he had nearly collapsed across her. "Sis," he began, gasping. "One day, you're going to be the death of me."

"I hope not," a voice began, surprising the siblings. "You've been surprisingly useful, Toby."

Leaning casually, Jareth smirked down at the two of them.


	6. An Explanation of Sorts

- -Chapter: Six- -

Elizabeth turned a corner, peeking around it first before entering the new passage. Several hours inside the labyrinth and already she was more cautious, the fear of falling down another crack in the ground or meeting someone more unsavory then Hoggle or Deonte causing her to carefully check where she was going.

She began to walk forward, checking every new opening as she passed by. Ahead of her, she saw another opening, this time leading to a brick wall. She nearly wilted on the spot. _Oh no,_ she thought, _I've gone around in a circle?_

She was about to turn around and retrace her steps when she heard voices coming from near the wall. She paused at the sounds but decided to go look and see who it was—it might be someone who could help her. She crept closer to the edge of the hedge and peeked around.

It was five strange creatures but when Elizabeth looked, she recognized the fairy and her strange mount from earlier. One looked like a gypsy woman, swaddled in scarves and bright designs; she looked both cross and bored. The other two didn't look to be the friendliest creatures she had ever seen but any company was nice at this point.

"I is telling you," shouted the strange pig nosed creature nearly in tears with frustration at the fairy. "I know the way, and we _have_ to go through the bog."

"Like _**I**_'d believe you," she retorted. "You're bad luck."

"Skub is not bad luck," Skub howled. The fairy snorted while her mount panted like a dog. Seeing it like that made it looked overwhelming cute and harmless, making Elizabeth want to run over and pet it.

The tall woman rolled her eyes and turned to the last creature; it wore a wide brimmed sun hat, shadowing its face so Elizabeth could only make out the crooked nose. Strangest of all, it had six crablike legs.

"Goblin," the woman began, ignoring the other two. "Answer me, which way is the fastest way through the labyrinth?"

"Through the bog," he answered mildly. Elizabeth realized the goblin was trying to fix the wall, laying new bricks into a hole. "But it's also the foulest, so no one wants to travel through there."

"See?" the fairy snapped, pointing to the wall mending goblin. "You heard him. No one wants to go through there. And you're bad luck since you've lost both Toby _and_ Sarah."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped and without a second thought, she raced over to them, surprising all but the goblin mending the wall.

"You've _seen_ them?" Elizabeth asked, desperation thick in her voice. "They're here? You've really seen-"

"You're the girl that fell down the crack," the fairy shouted in surprise. "So you are-"

"-Toby's niece," finished the woman, leaving the rest of them in eerie silence. The wall-mending goblin ignored them as the woman glared down at them.

Elizabeth nodded hesitantly. "…yes."

The woman's gaze flickered to the fairy, her mount, and Skub. "And you traveled with him." It was not a question.

"Yes," Skub answered, looking frightened.

"-until he lost them," the fairy huffed.

"Skub did not-" he didn't have time to finish; the woman was next to him in two quick strides. She grabbed the front of his outfit and lifted off the floor, giving him a shake like a bulldog would a toy.

"Answer me, goblin," the woman said in a low voice, neither growl nor hiss but just as dangerous. "What _happened_ to them?"

"T-t-t-t-t-" Skub tried, but stuttered so bad he couldn't even finish the rest of her uncle's name. Elizabeth felt a stab of sympathy for the little goblin as the woman shook him again.

"Stop it," she shouted at the woman. The woman lifted a brow at her. "Leave him alone, you're scaring him!"

The woman's eyes narrowed; they were odd eyes, Elizabeth realized. They were grey but something about the pupils seemed off. The woman dropped Skub and turned to face her, sending a shiver of fear down Elizabeth's spine.

"…he knows where your uncle is and you don't want to know?" she asked quietly.

Elizabeth was half-tempted to correct her; they knew where her uncle _and_ her mother were. Instead, she stuck her chin out and tried to stop her knees from buckling. "Scaring him won't help," she snapped.

The woman's gaze hardened as she stared down at her. After a moment, her gaze flickered over to Skub and the fairy. "…I see," she announced, confusing them. "You three are The Companions."

"…companions?" Elizabeth repeated. "What do you-"

"No wonder you lost them," the woman went on. "They didn't need you as much as she did."

"I needed them?" Elizabeth asked, staring at the woman as if she had grown another head.

"But she's not a Challenger," Skub shouted. Elizabeth blinked and realized he was cowering behind her, like she would protect him.

"Companions are for the Challengers," the fairy added waspishly.

"It is a Challenge," the woman answered. She turned and began to walk away. "Just a different kind of Challenge. And if it's **that** kind, I have to get the castle _now_."

"Wait, what do you mean-" Elizabeth tried to ask but the woman shocked them all by quickly climbing up the wall and running on top of the bricks. "Hey, wait come back," she shouted but it was too late and she was gone. Elizabeth frowned and turned back to the others. "What did she mean Companions? And why did she say I'm a Challenger?"

Skub and the fairy shared a look.

"Challengers," began the goblin at the wall, making the rest of them jump in surprise; they had forgotten about him in his silence. "are the people who run the Labyrinth to win the prize."

"What prize?" Elizabeth asked carefully.

"Babies," the fairy said.

"The children they wished away," Skub answered. Elizabeth looked at him in horror.

"They wished away?"

"People wish their children away to the Goblin King for some reason or other," the goblin continued. "But since it usually happens on accident, the King gives them the chance to win back the children if they complete the Labyrinth and beat him."

"Only happened once," the fairy mentioned.

"The Challengers, the ones running the Labyrinth, often need help." The goblin scuttled over to a new section of the wall to work on so they followed him. "The Labyrinth provides them help by sending them Companions to help. When the Challenger doesn't need them, they're sent away."

"…so then, I'm a Challenger," Elizabeth began. "And since I need help, these are my Companions?"

"Yes," he answered.

Elizabeth looked to Skub, the fairy, and her mount. _They're my Companions?_ Well, the fairy had appeared when she had first arrived but Deonte had been the most help…did he also count as a Companion then? Anyway, they didn't look bothered; in fact, they seemed proud, even the fairy's mount looked happy. "…is…is being a Companion a good thing?"

"Oh yes," Skub answered excitedly.

"Means you're famous for one," the fairy added before rubbing a hand over her shoulder. "I wonder if this means I can get my wings back, being a _Companion_ and all…"

Elizabeth wasn't quite sure what to say; she gave up and just decided to introduce herself to them—they were her Companions after all, right? "I'm Elizabeth."

"I is Skub," Skub said boastfully.

The fairy rolled her eyes at him. "I'm Hana," she said then nodded at her mount. "And that's Stank."

"Hello, Stank," Elizabeth grinned, before reaching out to pet his head.

"Careful. He's a blood thirsty mount, capable of…" she trailed off as Elizabeth patted his head and Stank whined happily, wagging his tail. "…bah, useless Rock Caller."

"But he's so cute," Elizabeth cooed to him as she scratched behind his ear.

"You and your uncle," Hana huffed. "Neither of you recognize a good battle Rock Caller when you see one."

_So that's what he is,_ Elizabeth thought. She had been wondering. She gave Stank one last smile and pat before straightening up to look at Hana and Skub. "So, which way?"

"Way?" Skub asked.

"To the castle," Elizabeth clarified.

"I say we try following that dame," Hana said, pointing up to the top of the wall. "Might have been a weirdo, but it looked like she knew which way she was going."

"Skub knows which way we are going," Skub snapped. "The Bog is the fastest way."

"It's also the nastiest," Hana retorted, scrunching up her nose at the thought.

"…but we gotta get there quick," Elizabeth reminded her. "I wanna find mom and uncle Toby when they get there. Besides," she said, looking pointedly at Stank who was happily oblivious to everything. "Stank couldn't walk on those thin ledges."

"You'd be surprised," Hana said, but shrugged anyway. "Which ever you want to go then."

"The Bog then," Elizabeth decided making Skub grin. "…what is 'The Bog'?"

"The Bog of Eternal Stench," Skub answered. "It's a really big swamp thingy that's-"

"-the smelliest place ever," Hana interrupted in disgust. "And if you so much as dip your toe in it, you'll stink for the rest of your life."

"It…can't be that bad, can it?" Elizabeth asked, trying to be cheery. "I mean if all it does is stink then-"

"You've never smelled it," Hana quipped.

"…well," Elizabeth tried. "I will in a bit." Hana shrugged; Elizabeth turned to Skub. "So which way is it?"

"There," he answered, pointing over her shoulder. Elizabeth blinked and saw that a new archway had appeared while the wall-mending goblin from before had disappeared around the corner. "That's the way."

Elizabeth gulped despite herself and tried to grin to them. "Well, let's get going then, right?"

* * *

"Jareth," Sarah hissed, helping Toby to sit up. "Where've you been when I needed you?"

"Taking care of some things," he answered with an elegant shrug. "Keeping an eye on things and keeping you out of trouble for the most part."

"Ludo said you sent him to help me," she said warily. "Why?"

"I need to keep you around," he answered. He grinned at Toby, who for the most part looked confused at seeing him. "Quite alright, Toby?"

"…I think so, but let me get back to you on that later," he answered. "Sarah, do you really _know_ this guy?"

"Ye…" she paused. Just how well did she know him? She had only met him a few times, albeit lately he'd been more pleasant than the first time they'd met.

"Ah, trying thinking for once?" Jareth asked cheekily. "Good for you."

"_You_-" she started, wishing desperately to strangle him.

"Now now, Sarah, we haven't the time to play around like this," he started.

"You started it," she snapped childishly, earning a snicker from Toby. She sent him a glare but blinked when she realized Jareth had started to walk off. "Hey, wait a second," she shouted, taking off after him leaving Toby to huff and start walking too.

"Come along," Jareth said, turning a corner. Sarah turned it as well, half expecting him to be gone when she rounded it. Instead, she saw him waiting three steps up on a staircase. It led up to a path, high from the ground. Toby finally reached her and glanced between the two of them as Sarah glared up at Jareth and he looked back.

"…hey, sis," he said, causing her to jump and look at him. "Coming?" he asked with a smile as he started forward and joined Jareth as they climbed the stairs. Toby smiled as he heard Sarah huff behind them and start up after them.

At the end of the stair, they all three stopped and looked out at the path. It ran high above the ground, meandering out and around the walls before winding back into the Labyrinth and straight to the castle.

"Isn't it a bit out of the way?" Sarah asked.

"It'll be easier in the long run," Jareth asked loftily. "Unless you'd rather take hard way…?"

Sarah glared at him and when she opened her mouth, Toby knew it was going to be to insult him. "So, who are you anyway?"

"I," Jareth began, "am Jareth, King of the goblins."

Toby glared at him suddenly. "You're the one who tore off Hana's wings?" he asked, remembering his fairy friend who was permanently grounded.

Jareth raised a brow. "Who?"

"My friend," Toby hissed. "She's a fairy."

"…no, why would I rip off some fairy's wings?"

"Sounds like something you'd do," Sarah said. _Then again,_ chimed an annoying little voice in her head, _you don't know him well enough to know that, do you?_ Sarah sighed; she hated it when her own brain turned against her.

Jareth glared at her but didn't respond.

"She said that a guy up at the castle tore off her wings 'cause he said she was stealing," Toby continued, ignoring his sister.

"I wasn't 'up at the castle' nor would I bother with tearing off her wings if all she did was steal," Jareth sniffed. He began to walk forward, leaving them behind. Toby looked confused, wondering who had torn off Hana's wings, but gave up and began to walk as well. Sarah sighed and followed them.

"If it wasn't you, who was it?" Toby asked as he caught up with the king's stride.

"Oh, I have an idea of who was," Jareth growled. Toby blinked in confusion.

"It wouldn't have been that guy who keeps trying to kill me, would it?" Sarah asked, glaring at Jareth's back.

"Kill you?" Toby repeated in shock.

"Probably," Jareth answered. "At least you're trying to think now, Sarah," he smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she growled at him.

Jareth ignored her response and went on. "Why think of how useful that could have been the first time we met." Sarah suddenly realized what he meant.

"How was I to know that wi-" she stopped and glared at Jareth.

"Alright, that's it," Toby huffed making both of them pause to look back at him. He gave the two of them a glare and pointed at them as he began to address them. "I'm not taking another step until you—both of you—answer some questions, damnit." He paused for a breath then continued. "How do you two know each other? Jareth, how do you know me? What do me, Sarah, and Elizabeth even have to do with you and" he made a wild swinging arc, gesturing to the Labyrinth around them, "this place?"

Sarah turned pale and began to speak but Jareth's dark chuckle stopped her.

"What, Sarah didn't explain about what happened?" he snickered, shaking his finger in a taunting manner in Sarah's face. "Tsk tsk, keeping secrets are we?"

Sarah tried to bat the hand away from her face but Jareth moved it in time and she missed. With a glare, she turned and ignored him in favor of Toby though she went pale once more. "Toby, I—I did something that I'm—not proud of…but-"

"Oh, come, come now, Sarah, just tell him," Jareth snapped. "Tell him what you did."

_"Will you __**shut up," **_she hissed, eyes flashing. "I had no idea that'd it actually work," she snapped then gasped at her admission.

"…had no idea _what_ would work, Sarah?" Toby asked quietly.

Sarah gulped and wrung her hands a few times before gathering up the courage to speak. "I…I wi-wished—oh, Toby, I was _stupid_ and I _never_ meant to-"

"Meant. To. What?" he ground out, his patience running out.

Sarah bit her lip before answering. "I…I wished the goblins would come take you away."

Toby's eyes widened but there was no other sign that he'd reacted in anyway. He stared for a moment before he found his voice. "You _wished_ me away. To the Goblin King."

"To turn you into a goblin no less," Jareth commented to Sarah's growing distress.

"Will you shut up," she ordered, her voice wavering as her eyes remained on Toby's tensing form. "Toby, I was young and stupid-"

"Stupid being the key word," he snapped, walking past her and the amused Jareth.

"Wait, Toby!" she called, trying to catch up to him. "Toby, I _was_ stupid. I was dumb and aggravated but I never meant for him to _actually_ take you. When he did though, I ran the labyrinth to get you back-"

"After you had, _stupidly_, wished me away," he interrupted again. This time she shot him an annoyed look but didn't reprove him. Instead, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him to a stop.

"-I faced plenty of obstacles to get you back and I kicked myself the entire way for wishing you away," she said, fighting to keep her voice even. "And I've kicked myself everyday _since_ then. I fought through the Labyrinth to get you back and I _am_ sorry. …I just can't fix what I've done."

Toby gave her a long hard stare for a while before gently removing her hand from his sleeve and nodding. Then he turned his gaze onto Jareth who stared back indifferently. "Jareth, you know, I'd think me _and_ Sarah would like to know why we're here besides saving Elizabeth. You're keeping something from us, I can tell."

"Yes, I've been wondering that myself," Sarah chimed in, turning to glare back at Jareth. "What are we doing here?"

For a moment, he looked like he was going to disregard the question before he closed his eyes, leaned back against a rock, and gave a disparaging chuckle. Finally, he stood up and began to talk as he walked away. "You are here to help me beat my own Labyrinth and the person who's _trying_ to control it."

"…come again?" Sarah asked, a bit incredulously. They came to a ledge in the path with a drop larger than a yard.

For once, Jareth did some manual labor and lowered his body down the next ledge taking his time answering the question. "After you 'beat'," he said the word like it was a vile curse word, "the Labyrinth and claimed I had no power over you, the Labyrinth began to…" he trailed off, making gestures with his arms like they could finish his sentence for him. Finally, he gave up. "…to think the same thing."

The pair of siblings turned their heads and shared a confused look.

"Wait a minute," Sarah asked slowly, trying to find a foothold as she lowered herself down while Toby took a chance and just hopped off. "The Labyrinth…thinks? And it, what, decided that you can't rule it anymore?"

He pulled a face at her as Toby helped her down. "It didn't decide I _couldn't_ rule anymore."

"Well then," Toby started as they began to walk again. "What _did_ it really think? And how does a Labyrinth _think_?"

"It doesn't 'think' in the way you're thinking of," Jareth huffed, ignoring the bewildered pair and walking on. "When Sarah 'bested me', parts of the Labyrinth became damaged-"

"Are you saying I broke your maze?" she shot at him, outrage creeping into her voice.

Jareth gave her a pointed glare, which looked very odd coming from those eyes. "It is **not** a _maze._ Mazes and labyrinths are two very different things."

"Anyways," Toby prompted.

"_Anyways_," Jareth echoed, sounding aggravated by the whole conversation. "When Sarah claimed I had no power over her, it witnessed …that scene and upon seeing me 'defeated' it decided I wasn't …'fit' to rule."

"Your kingdom overthrew you?" Toby asked, amused.

"No," he snapped, "but it became disobedient, surly even. It was wrestling control from me when-" He paused, looking down past a bend in the path.

"…when?" Sarah asked, trying to prompt him to continue before she saw what he was looking at.

It was a bridge. It looked even older and more decrepit than the bridge in the Bog of Eternal Stench had when she had first seen it. It was a rope bridge spanning the gap of a great chasm that gave Sarah vertigo just glancing at it.

Jareth made a noise sounding vaguely like a sigh but not much of anything else. He nodded to them ("_come along then"_) and started forward once more. "When someone came and tried to oust me himself."

"Someone tried to overthrow you?" she asked.

"Coup d' état?" Toby suggested.

"Hardly," Jareth snorted and Sarah couldn't blame him. She had seen the "might" of the goblin army once and severely doubted such a ragtag group could have ousted a baby from a highchair let alone their king from his throne. "It was someone outside of my kingdom, seeking power."

"No matter how little," Sarah muttered. While the Labyrinth itself was an awesome thing, the city beyond it wasn't of fantastic proportions.

"I heard that," Jareth retorted.

"So did I actually," Toby agreed, swinging his hip playfully into his sister's side. "And you always used to yell at me to mind my manners."

"Anyways?" Sarah offered sheepishly.

"Who was this guy anyway?" Toby asked.

"His name is Deonte," Jareth answered, eyeing the bridge as they came closer to it. "He once ruled a portion of the Underground like me and was once a favorite of the High Queen. However, he fell out of her favor and she asked her husband to remove him. The High King was eager to get rid of one of her lovers and so tossed him out of power entirely." He paused as they stood in front of the bridge. "He became a vagrant, exiled from power. After he heard of my defeat and how the Labyrinth was becoming unruly he thought he could take over easily."

"Except it hasn't been that easy," Sarah murmured, glancing out at the Labyrinth, still decaying and misty.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Toby sighed, surveying the bridge and gulf beneath.

"You two cross," Jareth answered. Both of them blinked and looked up; he was standing on the opposite side, smirking a bit.

"Can't you _ever_ do anything like a normal person?" Toby snapped to him, watching as Jareth sniggered at him. With a sigh, he turned to his sister. "Do you want to go first or should I?"

"…you," she said finally. "I hate situations like these."

"You just watch too many adventure movies where the bridge always gives out underneath them," he suggested, taking a careful first step onto the bridge. It creaked and groaned but held his weight so he took another.

"You know, I've had that happen to me before," she remarked, watching as he got farther along.

"Well, you're still alive, so it couldn't have been that bad," Toby laughed. He took another step forward, almost halfway across. The bridge shook as a wind whistled past and wobbled for a moment, clutching at the ropes. Finally, the bridge stopped quaking and he let out a relieved sigh. "See? Not so bad."

"Just don't die, Toby," Jareth shouted, "otherwise the only company I'll have is your sister."

"Oh, _shut up,"_ she snarled, taking a dubious look at the bridge before stepping out onto it. The next few minutes stretched on with tense silence as both siblings made their ways across the bridge.

Toby gave a small mental cheer as he stepped out the other side. He let out a shaky breath and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans then matched the smirk on Jareth's face when he glanced up at the Goblin King. Turning around he checked to see Sarah's progress; she was now a little more than half way, eyes glued to the planks as she took each step. He was about to call out to her when he heard Jareth draw in a quick breath.

When he looked over at the king, he saw Jareth's face fill with shock. Turning to see where he was looking, he suddenly saw what it was that had caught the Goblin King's eye: a dark flicker in a vague humanoid shape. It made a slashing gesture and the rope began to unravel. "Sarah," he yelled, causing her to look up. "Run!"

"What?" she asked, stopping completely. Toby wanted to rip his hair out at her.

"Sarah, move!" Jareth shouted at her. Blinking out of her stupor, Sarah heard the loud snap as the rope broke to her left.

She didn't bother to glance back as she took off, racing towards them. She heard the other rope snap too, began to feel the rattle of the boards beneath her as she ran. Barely two feet away from the other side, she felt the boards give out beneath her and she began to fall.

_I've come all this way, and _**this**_ is how I die?_ she thought as she heard the two of them above her scream her name. Then she felt a sudden jolt and looked up to see Jareth and Toby clutching at her arms. "Nice catch," she commented and she wondered if she had let some of her wits fall out of her head as she had started to fall.

"Yes, well," Jareth started, straining as he and Toby tried to pull her up. "this wouldn't have happened had you ran when we told you in the first place."

"Jesus, Sarah," Toby groaned, "gained a little weight?"

"Oh, shut up," she muttered, not coming up with a better retort as she tried to find a foothold.

After quite a bit of huffing and cursing, mostly on Toby's part and Sarah made a mental note to wash his mouth out later in revenge, they pulled her up. Since it had been Jareth to pull the last heft she ended closer to him; giving up any dignity she had left, she let herself sag against him. Toby sighed, dropping his head onto the back of her shoulder. Jareth still had one arm wrapped around her arm and another around her waist where he had pulled her up. All three of them sat, resting and gasping; it was Toby who leaned away first, resting back on his elbows before gathering enough breath to speak.

"What the hell was that anyway?" he asked, looking back across the cavern toward the other side.

"That," Jareth began, "would be one of Deonte's tricks."

"Lovely man, this Deonte," Toby remarked, glaring at the other ledge.

"Let's toss _him_ into an oubliette or the Bog when we met him," Sarah suggested, still trying to catch her breath and leaning against Jareth's shoulder. She heard the two of them snicker at her suggestion.

"What do you know, sis, you're become like…" Toby trailed off making both Jareth and Sarah look at him, waiting. "…wait a damn minute," he grunted.

"What is it?" she asked. He was looking further down the path, down the way they were going to go. He got up shakily and ran. "Toby-?" she tried to call after him.

"Back in a minute," he called back to them. Sarah glared in confusion at his back.

"What's gotten into him?" she muttered.

"Haven't a clue," Jareth answered.

At his comment, Sarah blinked, turning in his arms to stare up at him as he stared down. They sat, gasping not just from the exercise anymore, staring up at each other and not moving away. Sarah wondered how long it would take before she would either shove him away or kiss him before she went mad.

_Hey,_ she thought suddenly, _he really _**does**_ have blue eyes._ And then, _I must be delirious from all the oxygen I'm taking in, oh, dear. _

"Hey! You guys, c'mon," Toby called and the spell over to the two of them broke. It was Sarah who moved away first, drawing back with a bitter, self-reproachful smile on her face.

Jareth let go frowning and stood. "One day," he muttered, "I'm going to kill that boy."

"Hey, guys, pedal to the metal already," Toby called again. Jareth looked confused so Sarah grabbed his hand, tugging him along and muttering to him not to ask.

When they drew close however, Jareth let go and hurried closer and Sarah saw why: Toby had a young woman by the arm. The woman looked a bit like a gypsy crossed with an Indian sultan's bride from Arabian Nights.

"Juliana?" Jareth asked as he drew up next to her and Toby. Sarah watched as the girl gulped and glared up into the Goblin King's face.

"Jareth," the girl hissed. "Having a little trouble keeping people out now, _your majesty_?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

He snarled down at her. "When I get back to the castle, I'm going to toss you into that damn bog and leave you there."

The girl, Juliana, looked ready to scream and scratch his eyes out with her fingernails if necessary.

"Can someone explain what's going on?" Toby asked, trying to distract them.

"I'm here to petition the Goblin King, _whoever_ it is in the end, to return-" she began, looking mockingly at Jareth.

"That again?" he interrupted. "Can't you learn to give up?"

"I could say the same of you," she growled. "Just how close _are_ you to losing your throne?"

Toby grabbed her and pulled her away from Jareth, making sure that the argument didn't end in a fistfight. "Easy now, don't go riling him up."

Juliana still looked like she was ready to pick a fight so Sarah spoke up to distract her. "Why would anyone want to be Goblin King anyway?" Sarah huffed. The two of them blinked and stared at her. "All it is an overgrown labyrinth and backwards city."

"Sarah, how little do you think my kingdom is?" Jareth snorted, beginning to walk forward once more but not before sparing Juliana a look that promised they would continue the argument some other time. Juliana glared at him and began to walk as well, leaving Toby and Sarah to catch up with them.

Sarah glanced back at Toby who shrugged. "Isn't it just the castle, city, and Labyrinth?"

Jareth grunted in annoyance and tossed up his hands. It was Juliana who answered. "The Goblin Kingdom stretches on for many miles in all directions. The Goblin King has nigh unlimited resources from it: gold and silver mines in the north, fertile land to the south and west, and a large tributary leading out into the ocean in the east," she explained.

"So, stupid population," Toby summarized, "but great real estate?"

"Basically," Jareth answered, stepping carefully down some mossy rocks.

"All the land wasn't always part of the Goblin Kingdom however," Juliana continued, voice rising in irritation as she began to glare at Jareth.

"Not _this_ again," he groaned, walking a little faster. Sarah vaguely recognized that they had gone past the Bog of Eternal Stench and sighed in relief.

_Not much farther now, _she thought, wondering for the umpteenth time how and where her daughter was. But since there was little she could do, she turned her eyes curiously to the two arguing people.

"You _stole_ the Bog," Juliana snapped, jogging up to his side.

"I did nothing of the sort," he retorted angrily.

"Why on earth would you want to steal the Bog?" Sarah asked as realized what they were talking about.

"Bog?" Toby asked.

_Of course he doesn't know,_ Sarah realized, _he never went there and we just passed it._ "It," she began, "is the foulest smelling thing in the world. And if you get so much of a drop of it on you, you'll same the same way for the rest of your life." She frowned as she tried to the think of a description of it. "It's like rotten eggs, farting, your old gym socks, and fertilizer all at once, a hundred times worse though."

Toby's eyebrows shot up but he didn't comment.

"It didn't used to be like that," Juliana argued in something akin to despair. "It was once a swamp where the river flowed through the labyrinth. It was dark and lovely—and you bloody stole it from us," Juliana snapped at Jareth.

"I _took_ it after your people tried to incite a rebellion against me," he retorted.

"You stole my birthright," she hissed.

He sneered at her. "Because your mother tried to murder me," he argued. "Regicide is enough for the High King of the Underground to declare war on the murderer."

"You killed her," she shouted.

"I executed her for trying to murder me," he roared. "She was insane," he snapped, walking again. "She got it from father."

"Then your just as crazy as she was," Juliana quipped.

"You _have_ to be a little crazy to rule that lot," he said, gesturing to the castle and city creeping up at them. "Count your blessings for the fact I only had to kill half your people and banished you instead of killing you all." He glanced back at her. "And for giving you all of the prizes I obtained from the challenges."

"Prizes?" Toby asked curiously.

"The children," Sarah answered quietly as she realized what he meant. "You gave them the children."

"So does that mean I'd never would have been a goblin anyway?" Toby asked.

Both Juliana and Jareth snorted. "Goblins breed like vermin," Juliana answered.

"I don't need more of them trying to drive me insane," Jareth added. "I've always sent the prizes to the Eleionomaeses."

"Eleio-what?" Toby asked in confusion.

"Eleionomaese," Sarah answered, smiling as she remembered. "They're swamp nymphs. I taught a lesson on them once."

"The Eleionomaeses are my people," Juliana answered. "The children sent to us become one of us." She screwed up her face in anger. "It still doesn't excuse you from stealing what's ours and banishing us to wander around the Labyrinth for all eternity!"

"I never said you have to wander around the Labyrinth for all eternity," Jareth quipped, "you could have left."

"You-" she began, raising her fist.

"That's enough," Sarah ordered. "Jareth, how long till we get there?"

Juliana looked mutinous while Jareth raised a brow at Sarah.

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Elizabeth to realize what Hana had meant by the Bog of Eternal Stench being the nastiest place ever. Her eyes were practically watering as she, Hana, and Stank followed Skub as he led them through the Bog.

"When we get through with this place, goblin," Hana hissed, "I swear, I'm gonna kill you."

"Just a little further," Skub shouted back to them. Elizabeth wondered why she had ever agreed to come this way and how long they were going to be stuck there when Skub finally shouted in triumph. "See, nasty little Hana? There's the bridge that leads us to the woods that go straight to the castle gates."

Elizabeth looked up and saw the bridge he had mentioned and nearly wept with relief. _Finally_, she thought nearly delirious with happiness and the fumes coming from the swamp.

"Move it, I wanna get out of here _now_," Hana urged them. They happily complied and raced to the bridge. As they were about to get onto the bridge a voice called out, making them stop in their tracks.

"Halt," cried a voice and from around a tree and a small furry creature leapt up between them and the bridge. "I am sworn to not let anyone pass this bridge without my permission, so stay where you are."

Elizabeth looked at the being in front of them; it-he-looked like a cross between a fox and a terrier and stood upright, dressed in bright colored, medieval looking clothes. "Wha-who are you?" she asked, changing her question quickly.

"I am Sir Didymus, knight, and sworn protector of this bridge," he answered, swelling with pride for his position. They stared at him for a moment before each of them, Stank included, looked past him to the bridge. It was a simple sturdy affair made of cobblestone. They looked back at the short knight; the bridge hardly seemed to be impressive, even if he thought it so important.

"…if you guys move, I think I can get Stank to knock him out of the way," Hana said quietly.

"Gimme a second," Elizabeth said and stepped forward. Sir Didymus' grip on his scepter tightened noticeably, making her draw up short. "Sir Didymus, right?"

"Yes," he answered, carefully eyeing her.

"You said we'd have to have your permission to pass?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered with a grin.

"…so can we have your permission?"

He opened his mouth then paused and thought for a moment. "…last time I gave someone permission, it did not quite turn out right…"

"Please, we need to cross," she asked imploringly.

He seemed to think about it. "…well…" he looked up at her. "…yes?"

Elizabeth brightened and behind her, she heard the others release a collective sigh. "Thank you, sir."

"My lady," he answered happily, stepping aside for her.

"Hey, Beth," Hana began—she had started calling her that sometime after they had entered the Bog. "How'd you know that would work?"

"My mom always says some of the easiest solutions to a problem is to ask the obvious things," she answered with a grin as she walked over to the bridge.

"Your mother?" Skub asked, not really paying attention as he ran ahead, eager to be the first to cross the bridge.

"She means Sarah, idiot," Hana snapped as she crossed as well. Elizabeth rolled her eyes fondly at the exchange and began to cross the bridge when she felt something catch her sleeve. She looked and saw it was Sir Didymus looking eager and hopeful.

"Did thee say that thou mother is the Lady Sarah?" he asked, eyes wide.

Elizabeth frowned but nodded. "Yes…"

His face light up with happiness. "Then is she here?"

"Yes," she answered, turning to face him again. "How do you-?"

"Please forgive me," he said, "but I was a Companion to thou mother."

"Wait, you're _that_ Didymus?" Hana asked from across the bridge.

"Skub wants an autograph," Skub began excitedly.

"You were?" Elizabeth asked, eyes wide. "You two…were friends then?"

"Yes," he answered, swelling with pride again. "But I had not a clue that fair Sarah had a daughter! If thee had but said so, I would have let you pass that very moment."

"…you haven't seen her in a while then?" she asked.

He wilted visibly. "Alas, since that upstart invaded-" he shook his head but smiled at her. "Would thee send my fondest regards to her?"

Elizabeth smiled at him. "When I'll find her, I'll bring here myself, so you can tell her then."

He looked like she had told him Christmas—or whatever similar holiday they had in there—had come early. "Bless you, my lady!"

"Or would you like to come with to the castle and-" she began, but he shook his head solemnly.

"I am afraid it is against the rules, my fair maiden," he said. He patted her hand in a fatherly manner and grinned. "But thee had best hurry. Fare well, my lady."

"Thank you," she said again. "Goodbye, Sir Didymus." She ran across the bridge to her friends. "C'mon let's get outta here and to that castle."

* * *

**Sorry it took so long for this chapter; even though the bulk of it was already written (most of the Sarah Toby Jareth Juliana) it was really hard to write the Elizabeth and transition parts smoothly. Some things might seem awkward—this is because I had to edit out (yes, it was an even longer chapter at first!) a least one whole scene which made me very sad to see it go. Perhaps I'll use it later, like a bonus.**

**Ahh, I can feel this part of the story winding down already. My guess is that there's at least two more chapters. And now my problem: I have a second part/sequel-ish part but I have yet to decide if I'll continue here or just make it a new story.**

**And now my big question: if anyone has some free time, would you do me a huge huge favor by going through the chapters and telling if you say problems? Do it well enough and I'll credit you as a beta-reader …ish person. Please please? If not, I'll definitely go over this after the end and edit everything, but it's hard for me to catch all the problems.**


	7. Dramatic Visions

- -Chapter: Seven- -

"Skub," Elizabeth called over her shoulder, "is that it…? Is that the castle?" She hoped it was, while it wasn't exactly what she had thought of a castle (she always pictured picturesque turrets, glistening stone, moats and open grounds) it was close enough, she supposed.

Skub finally caught up with her while Hana and Stank bounded up after him. He looked out and nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, that's it. I _told_ nasty fairy that I knew the way," he said smugly as Hana rode up next to them. The fairy did not deign to spare him a look as she stabbed his snout in passing with her spear, ignoring his shout of pain. "Nasty, evil, vicious-"

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at the two of them and sighed. "Can't you guys ever get along?"

"Not likely," Hana answered her while Skub continued to throw various insulting adjectives at her back.

"Just…don't kill each other, please," she sighed, shaking her head. "You okay, Skub?"

"…Skub won't ever be okay till fairy is far gone," he muttered to himself, swiping at the drops of blood as the tiny wound tried to scab over.

Elizabeth ignored the response and turned back to the view of the castle the hill provided. "Well, guys, should we get a move on?"

"Yes, let's get the hell out of this stinking swamp," Hana urged, ready to spur Stank into a full charge if it meant she could escape the swamp sooner. Stank murmured his agreement so the four of them set off, down the steep hill.

At the bottom of the hill, a path of gravel appeared, meandering its way up to a large gate in the outer wall of the city. In spite of the long distances they had traveled and how far they still had to go, the four of them began to walk a little faster, eager to reach the city.

Skub was the first to reach the gate because both Stank and Elizabeth hung back, feeling a little wary of the looming wall even if they had been excited to see it mere moments ago. "This is it, 'lizabeth," Skub crowed happily. "I said would get you here, and now you are!"

Elizabeth couldn't help but crack a smile at such enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's all thanks to you, Skub," she laughed as she walked up to him. "Thanks," she said, kissing his warty cheek.

The goblin flushed under all the grime and shuffled his feet bashfully.

"About time you made yourself useful," Hana snickered as she rode up on Stank. Skub started to glare at her before she shrugged. "Not bad, Skub, not bad at all."

Elizabeth's brows went up; that was the first time the fairy had said anything remotely like a compliment to the goblin since they had met. Even Skub looked pleased with the praise and stood up straighter.

"I will open the door now," he announced, running over to a little hole in the wall. The hole was barely the diameter of a quarter and when Skub duck down to peek through it, he knocked on the wall loudly six times.

"Who's there?" growled a voice, muffled by the wall.

"It's Skub! I's got guests," he told the voice.

After a moment, there was an answering knock and the gate creaked open. A small, ragged head poked its head out. Like Skub, the face was warty and dirty but held sharper, pointier features. When it looked out, it glared at them, Elizabeth in particular.

"…who is it?" the goblin asked carefully, eyeing them.

"I told you's it was Skub," Skub huffed.

The face contorted and glared at him. "I meants them!"

"Oh," Skub muttered. He pointed to them. "This is Hana, evil fairy. And that is Stank, tiny Rock Caller there. And this," he said lastly, gesturing wildly for effects, "is 'lizabeth, daughter of the Champion Sarah."

"_The_ Sarah?" the goblin asked in awe, stepping farther around the gate to look at her. He paused for a moment before glaring at them and gesturing for them to come in. "Quickly, quickly, get in already."

Skub and Stank rushed in, Hana looking eager from her seat on the Rock Caller. Only Elizabeth hesitated, watching as the three of them ran in. When they did, the other goblin opened the door wider to let them through and what Elizabeth saw behind it made her gasp.

It must have been a quaint little town once, small homes scaled to goblin size. But now, the houses caved in, the fountains smashed, and worst of all were the goblins themselves. Although Elizabeth did not know the goblins of her mother's time in the Underground, she could tell something was very wrong with the ones inside the town. They shuffled slowly, gazes empty, much like the B rated zombie movies Elizabeth's parents used to watch after her bedtime.

"Beth," Hana hissed. "Beth, come _on_."

Elizabeth blinked and looked back to the fairy. Neither she and Skub looked happy to be there but both were looking at her with worried expressions. Steeling herself and going against her instincts telling her to run, she stepped into the city.

- -

One moment, Jareth was walking in front of Sarah, Toby, and Juliana, the next he wavered visibly, almost falling to the side, like an invisible wave had crashed into him. His right hand flew up to his head as he suddenly staggered backward.

"Jareth," Sarah gasped, catching him along with Toby before he crashed to the ground. "Jareth, what happened?"

The former Goblin King pressed his hands to his face and groaned. Behind them, Juliana was as still as an ice sculpture. When Jareth finally brought his hands away, Sarah gasped.

Deeply rooted crows feet had appeared next to his eyes, complimented by deep creases in his forehead. It looked he had aged ten years in a manner of seconds.

"Jareth, what-" Sarah didn't get a chance to finish when Juliana interrupted her.

"That's it then. She's made it to the city, hasn't she?" the Eleionomaese asked quietly, her voice dead in tone. "It's really happening."

"Who's made it?" Toby asked, frowning at them.

"Jareth, what's going-" she tried.

Instead, he pulled away from them and nearly growled as he rubbed at his temples. "Well, congratulations, Sarah. We know Elizabeth's in the Goblin City now," he muttered with no small amount of contempt. Who the contempt for was unclear but Sarah still flinched at the tone. It was a relief to know where her daughter was but that could only mean that she was getting closer to Deonte. She hated to imagine what that man could do to Elizabeth; he tried to kill her, what would he do to her daughter?

For another minute, there was a tense silence between all of them while Sarah feared the worst, Juliana and Jareth both seemed grim. Only Toby looked a little less troubled than they did. He walked quietly alongside them, trying not to pester any of them.

Since the three of them were so entrenched in their own thoughts, Toby finally saw the castle as they crested over the last hill. "Look, we're almost there," he said loudly, trying to draw their attention away from the gloom. Only Sarah looked relieved to hear him though as Juliana seemed to only grow stiffer and Jareth began to lag, letting Toby and Sarah walk past him. Toby frowned at the two of them. "You two look like someone just died."

Juliana flinched and Jareth glared at him, pressing a hand to his brow still. "Just…keep going," Jareth muttered, trying to fend off the pain in his temple.

Toby glanced over at Sarah and shrugged at her frown. What did he know about Goblin Kings or Elio-whatsit's? Sarah could think of nothing that could possibly help the disgruntled king or Juliana. She didn't even know what had set them off in the first place.

The silence stretched on after that until they finally reached the city when Jareth seemed to sigh and Juliana let out all her breath she had been holding in one loud whoosh.

"Now what?" Toby half sighed, half grumbled. "Were here, finally, and you two still look like you're heading to the electric chair!"

Juliana looked confused at the reference while Jareth growled at him in aggravation. "If only it was that simple," he quipped before letting his expression lapse back into a pained grimace.

Toby and Sarah shared a look before both stopped and turned to him and Juliana.

"I was kinda hoping they'd run out of secrets by now," Toby remarked airily to Sarah.

She nodded in kind. "You think they'd know that we're too stubborn to be led around by our noses like that."

Jareth growled, anger and frustration apparent enough to send shivers down their backs. Toby's shoulder flinched, a habit he gained after he broke his collarbone and left that shoulder sensitive. Sarah however held firm, not letting herself be bullied into submission despite feeling a shred of guilt. Finally, Jareth relented, running his hand down from his forehead to cover his eyes before speaking. "I'm running out of time," he explained, simply.

Sarah and Toby shared a look; why did it matter now? "Does this have something to do with…" Toby began, gesturing at his own face. "Your sudden, ah, aging?"

"Yes. It does," Jareth answered, rubbing his temples again.

"…how much…" Sarah's throat ran dry before she could finish. She tried again. "How much time…do you…have left?"

Juliana twitched so violently, it could have been mistaken for flinch. Jareth was quiet as he gazed at her. "…not…enough," he said finally, having to force the words past his lips. Such admittance sounded like a defeat from him.

The air around them grew tenser as they stood around, none of them quite certain of what to do or say to that. Finally, Toby broke the ice.

"…if that's the case, let's get a move on," he said. He pivoted on his heel and began walking faster towards the castle, leaving his surprised companions to hurry to catch up to him.

The rest of the walk to the castle passed by in silence as they hurried on. The only time they paused was when they had made it to the foot of the castle; because they had taken the longer way, they had bypassed the Goblin City altogether and now stood at a back gate to the castle. Toby and Sarah had to force the door open finally, amidst much cursing, this time from the both of them. When they finally got it opened, they quickly stepped in.

"Wasn't so bad, was it?" Toby asked with forced cheerfulness as he and Sarah panted. "Made good time even."

Good time, however, wasn't enough for whatever was ailing Jareth apparently. The age lines were stretching and several bits of grey streaked his hair. Along the way, he suddenly gained a pronounced limp although he was far too proud and stubborn to accept any offered help.

"Let's just get moving," Sarah panted. The more and more Jareth aged, the more her stomach tried to twist itself in a knot. _It's not right_, she thought; Jareth had always been her boogey man or a temptation of some sort—to see him change so visibly in such a short time was… distressing to say the least.

Toby bit his lip and looked to Juliana; she had been silent for a long time now. It felt odd that she was so quiet but by the pinched look she had on her face as she observed Jareth told him not to pester her. Whatever it was bothering her, he hoped he could ask her before something else happened.

"Yeah…yeah, okay," he agreed, finally catching his wind back. "Which way?"

"Left," Jareth grunted, shielding his eyes from the torchlight. Off they went, following his directions, none of them felt the courage to break the silence between his ever-tiring directions. They began to move slower consciously, so he wouldn't fall too far behind them. If he noticed, he didn't mention it.

Finally, Jareth heaved a great sigh of what suspiciously sounded like relief. "Right, the throne room's just past the next hall," he announced. The three of them perked up at his announcement but had to fight not to hurry ahead of him.

As they turned down the hall he'd mention, Toby couldn't wait any longer and hurried ahead of them a bit, jogging over to the most important looking door at the end of the corridor. "This it, Jareth?"

"Yes, yes," he answered waspishly.

"Well, then," Toby responded, not letting the grouchy reply bother him. "I'm just going to poke my head inside and…" he opened the door and paused.

"…what is it, Toby?" Juliana called, speaking for the first time in awhile.

Toby didn't answer; instead he tossed open the double doors. It was a plain room, not what anyone would call a throne room. Sarah frowned—she'd been in the throne room, and that room was barely anything like the throne room.

"…Jareth, you sure this is it?" Toby asked, taking a step into the room cautiously. _Nothing dangerous in sight_, he thought, looking into the room. The only thing in the room was a large, warped mirror looking like it had come straight from the Dark Ages.

"What?" Jareth snapped, pulling up short. He looked openly confused as he looked past Toby into the room. "That's not…" he paused and squinted as Toby walked further into the room.

"See? All that's here is-"

He never got a chance to finish; Juliana shrieked and tried to run to him. Sarah didn't see what was wrong but recognized trouble when she watched Juliana dash forward and quickly ran herself.

"Toby," Jareth roared, left behind and useless to help him. "GET OUT OF THERE!"

"Wha-" Toby began but already began to try and get out of the room.

Too late: the double doors flew shut and locked themselves audibly. He yelped in spite of himself and tossed his body at the doors, pounding against the wood. "You guys-"

"Toby," Juliana called, beating upon the doors along with Sarah. "You must get out of there!"

"What's going on?" he called through the wood. The doors were too sturdy and heavy to knock loose.

"Destroy the mirror," Jareth ordered, voice cracking.

"The mirror?" Toby repeated in shock. _Is that what's got them so wound up?_ he wonder in distant surprise. _What's wrong with the-_

He glanced over his shoulder and froze as his reflection, facing towards him, _waved_. He watched in abject shock as the mirror's surface rippled and the reflection's hand appeared, reaching out like it was water. He watched as his reflection stepped out of the mirror and smile at him as it stood before him.

"How the hell did you-" he began but could only gape as the smile on his doppelganger changed into a sneer. It suddenly jumped at him, clearing the room like it was a foot across. Toby dodged, barely missing getting his head taken off by his mirror image's fist. He stumbled to the wall and watched as his reflection fist cracked as it slammed into the door, then as it pulled it back, watched the cracks disappeared.

"Just what are you?" he snapped, ducking another blow. He jumped closer to the mirror, making the reflection grin. He tried to jump away again, however, his twin image caught his shoulders and pushed him _into _the mirror. The surface rippled as his head and right shoulder fell into the glass. He only escaped total immersion as his left hand caught the frame in a death grip.

_I can't breathe,_ he thought as he struggled to pull himself out. His reflection refused to relent and shoved his shoulders harder, smiling all the while. _He's trying to trap me in here!_

It was like ice inside the mirror, and reminded him of the time he'd nearly drowned, trapped under the ice. His parents and Sarah had taken him out with some friends for ice skating and Toby skated over too thin ice. He'd broken through and nearly drowned if it weren't for his mother being beside him to drag him out before he slipped all the way in. The thought of his family made him cling even more.

_Am I going to drown?_ he wondered as he struggled to keep a grip on the frame. He opened his eyes and felt icy coldness stabbing at his eyes. In the frigid darkness however, a light gleamed distantly. Without much thought, Toby clenched his eyes and reached out to the light. He didn't register that he'd grasped a hold of _something_ and didn't think as he swung whatever it was back at his doppelganger.

He did realize however his reflection had suddenly let go, and pulled himself back out. He gasped, starved for air, and looked in distant shock at his reflection. The arms of his mirror image up to the elbow were shattered into pieces on the floor and the mouth of his twin was open in a 'o'. He glanced down and realized he was, in fact, holding a _sword_ of all things.

It wasn't quite a broadsword, barely being much longer the distance of Toby's wrist to his bicep. It was simple enough, unadorned, except it was entirely blue.

Toby blinked, brought back from his impromptu inspection of the blade to see his doppelganger was reforming its arms. "Oh no, you don't," he snapped harshly. He took the blade and ran it through the middle of the reflection's chest. His reflection looked quite surprise as cracks stretched out from the wound. Without much ado, the mirror image exploded into dust and fragments, one of the tiny chips lodged itself in Toby's eye.

He hissed a long line of curses that shall not be repeated here. It _hurt_ and that was all that mattered. After a moment, Toby blinked as a strange almost vision passed in front of his eyes.

A man, all in black, cursing the mirror, literally magicing it with dark magic so it seeped into the grain of the wood. But another vision, far older than that, appeared as well. It was a man, looking remarkably like Jareth, placing the sword into the rippling surface.

Toby blinked and the vision, and pain, disappeared.

The door swung open and Juliana and Sarah nearly tumbled into the room, Jareth standing just behind them. Toby turned and stared at them, before awkwardly waving at them. "Hey guys, 'sup?"

"Toby," Sarah panted. She reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace while Juliana fidgeted at the door. "Are you alright? Why didn't you open the door or answer us?"

"The mirror-" he rasped, caught tight in her hug.

"Did something come out of it?" Jareth demanded suddenly. Toby held up the sword and both Jareth and Juliana froze at the sight of it.

"But that's the-" Juliana began in shock.

"How did you get a hold of that?" Jareth hissed, reaching out for it. Toby reluctantly handed it over as Sarah finished fussing over him. Both Juliana and Jareth reverently gazed at the blade.

"It was in the mirror," Toby explained quietly.

Sarah gazed in confusion. "_In_ the _mirror?"_

"Toby…" Jareth began, finally tearing his eyes away from the blade. "Did you or did someone else pull this free?"

"I did," he answered truthfully. Both Jareth and Juliana seemed to look at him in a new light, making him feel like he'd grown another head.

"What's going on?" Sarah asked, looking between the three of them, hating being out of the loop. _I guess this is how Toby felt before?_ she wondered.

"My reflection came out of the mirror and tried to kill me," Toby answered her. "I pulled that sword out of the mirror and killed it."

"You _killed_ your reflection-?" she began but shook her head. "I'm forgetting where I am—nothing is what it seems here."

Jareth, pulled out of his stupor, smirked in her direction. "When, looks like you finally did learn something, Sarah."

"Oh shut up," she sighed, but not out of true spite.

"What's up with the sword?" Toby asked, trying to draw their attention back to it. "Why was it in the mirror?"

"That sword was put in there by the first Goblin King," Juliana answered, her tone the most respectful Toby had heard it yet. "It's a sword for-"

"Never mind that," Jareth snapped, surprising the other three. "In case you've forgotten, we have to hurry."

"Why?" Sarah asked, ire rising at his tone. "Where are we going anyway?"

"We have to get to the throne room," he retorted. "Unless you want Deonte to get a hold of your daughter, I suggest we go. _**Now**_."

That was all the incentive Sarah and Toby needed.

"Which way, o' majesty?" she hissed, ready to run at a moment's notice.

- -

Further up in the castle, Elizabeth and her companions hurried on. "Where do you think everyone is?" Elizabeth asked quietly. Every since the goblins had let them into the castle, they had found the place to be completely empty.

"Dunno," Skub answered. "'s not natural for it to be like _this."_

"It used to be full of goblins and song when Jareth was king," Hana commented. Then she hissed and rubbed the stub of her left wing. "Back before that bastard tore off my wings! Oh, if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to get that bastard Deonte for-"

"Wait," Elizabeth gasped. "What do you mean Deon-"

Then she paused as her eyes suddenly caught a glimmer of light above them. She raised her head and looked up to see spheres of light, oddly like floating bubbles hovering above them. They were the color of champagne and threw off shimmering, winking light more like Christmas tree ornaments than bubbles. Elizabeth had never seen such beautiful orbs before, making her pause and watch their carefree dance on the air.

"…come on," Hana said after a moment, turning pointedly away from the strange bubble-like orbs. "I got a bad feeling about this place, and I'm not sticking around here."

"…Skub agrees with Hana," Skub said finally, still cowering underneath the orbs. "We need to hurry anyways, right, 'lizabeth?" he asked, shuffling along a little faster until he noticed she had not answered him. "…'lizabeth?"

Stank drew up short and turned to look back for their friend as Hana started to look back as well. "Beth?" she called.

No answer.

"No Bess?" Stank asked them, speaking for the first time making Skub jump in surprise. Hana however continued to frown.

Elizabeth had not followed them at all; she was still rooted to the spot as she watched the orbs dancing above her head. They reminded her of the bubbles her father and she would play with when her mother was out (Sarah did not like bubbles). They drifted lazily above her, dangling just beyond her hand's reach.

They began to float past her, down another corridor than the one Hana, Skub, and Stank had gone. Elizabeth eagerly followed them, watching them winking at her with champagne flashes. As she followed them, she began to notice that her surroundings had changed.

She was no longer in a corridor; instead, she was in a wide field of wheat, fresh and green. In the distance, she saw the Castle Beyond the Labyrinth, but now it looked newer, more like a fairytale castle where a beautiful princess might live. And the Labyrinth itself looked different, it seemed smaller, more inviting like a garden maze instead of a stone behemoth. Fairies danced through the air, sweet music as if sung by angels floated on the breeze, and Elizabeth could have sworn she saw the light dance off the flank of a unicorn.

"Elizabeth," a far off voice called. She turned and glanced over her shoulder and she saw that it was her mother, uncle, and someone else standing under a tree. She cried out in joy and raced over to them. As she came closer, she saw the last person was her father, alive and handsome as ever. She stopped for a moment, absolutely floored by this but then took off flying at him.

But as she began to reach them, the scenery began to change. She moaned in despair until she saw what it changed into. Instead of a field of wheat, she was in a bedroom truly fit for a fairytale princess, and somehow without someone telling her, she knew it was hers. All shades of purple colored the room, from lavender to orchid to violet, tiny delicate furniture sat waiting for her, and a lovely four-posted bed stood proud in a corner.

"How do you like it, Elizabeth?" the voice spoke again, soft in her ear. She looked to see that it was Deonte standing behind, watching her as she inspected the room. "It's yours, should you want it."

Elizabeth looked around at the room again. It could really be hers…?

"Don't you want this?" he asked, voice warm and hypnotizing.

She walked away from him, to better look around. Everything seemed to like some kind of wonderful dream come true; there were all sorts of stuffed animals, tiny tea sets of real china, and a gigantic bookshelf of picture books she had always loved. She looked to her right and saw a large window with a bench just below it, covered in comfortable looking pillows. She walked over to the window, grabbed the latch and let the window swing open.

When she looked outside, she realized she was looking into an entirely different place then one view that should have been there. Outside the window, she saw the Labyrinth's hedges, festooned in white and gold ribbons. The hedges were not the only things decorated; the courtyard outside was filled with white folding chairs set up in long rows. In between the middle of the rows laid a gold carpet, leading up to an archway where a woman, man, and some sort of holy man stood.

It was a wedding, she realized. Elizabeth gasped when saw that Deonte was the groom and that in the crowd was her family, her mother, father, uncle, and grandparents. Elizabeth squinted to try to make out whom the lucky bride was and nearly fell off the bench in shock.

It was herself, older and elegant looking in white, lavender, and gold. Elizabeth strained against the windowsill to watch as Deonte lifted the veil from her face. Deonte smiled down at her older self and Elizabeth watched as the future her turned and looked at her.

She looked terrified and stricken. Elizabeth's jaw dropped as the vision of her older self opened her mouth and spoke a single word to her.

"_**Run."**_

Elizabeth did tumble off the bench, only to realize that she had been sitting on a poorly constructed cot. The heel of her hand fell hard onto the edge of a bowl, upsetting the murky water inside of it. Elizabeth looked around at the room that moments before had been a luxurious bedroom only to see a run down jail cell. She jumped to her feet quickly and turned to see iron bars quickly clang shut. She cried as she fell against the door and began to beat upon it.

"Help!" she screamed, sticking her hand out the door in blind desperation, hoping someone would free her. She began to cry in earnest but then a large, calloused hand took hold of her own. She cried out again for help.

"Shh," said a soothing voice, sounding so familiar to her but she was so scared that she couldn't stop to place it.

"Get me out," she sobbed and felt no small amount of relief when she saw the bars go up. She stumbled out and nearly crashed to the floor before the strong hands caught her. She started to look up when the voice from her older self spoke again.

"_**Run and do not look back."**_

The voice had been right before so it seemed stupid to ignore it now. Elizabeth grabbed the hand of person who had released her and began to run. She did not know if she was leading them or if they were leading her, but she ran on and did not look back.

Something told her to turn and she listened to it, sprinting down the new corridor. At the end of the hallway, a light shown like at the end of a long tunnel and she dashed to it. She practically fell out into the other corridor, only realizing after a moment that she was back to where she had first seen the bubbles. She shuddered and fought to recapture her breath.

"Good job, Bessie," said a quiet, loving voice behind her making her freeze. Now, with her fear gone, she could place the voice.

"Daddy?" she cried, whirling around to see nothing but a smooth wall behind her. She looked at it for a long moment before stepping closer to it, reaching out with her hand. As her hand neared the wall however, she paused and drew it back.

Her father had helped her; she knew it without a trace of doubt in her heart. Her father and that vision of her future self had saved her from that prison-like place.

She also realized without a doubt that Deonte had been the one trying to trick her in those visions. Her faced hardened and she glared at the wall. Setting her jaw (and although she didn't know it, it made her look much like her mother) she turned and ran down the halls, looking for her friends.

- -

**Sorry for the long wait! But life intrudes and I must attend to it before fan fiction. Fun fact—apparently, in an original book by one of the creators, Ludo is part of a race called Rock Callers. So, now I have to go back and change most of the yeti references!**

**Good news-the story's almost done! Only a chapter to go!**

**The bad news? The story's almost done! I may, or may not, decide to do a sequel to this. Please go to my bio and vote in the poll at the top of the page to help me decide what to work on first.**


	8. The Heirs to the Labyrinth

- -Chapter: Eight- -

There were two things that Skub and Hana had in common: mutual dislike of the other and mutual liking of Elizabeth. When Hana glanced at Skub and raised a brow, he more or less guessed what she was getting at. Since Elizabeth managed to catch up with them, she went quiet and fixed a stony look on her face. The silence and quiet determination was strikingly different from the uncertain girl of before.

"Beth?" Hana began, startling the girl.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Is 'lizabeth okay?" Skub asked from her other side.

She blinked and smiled when she realized they had only been worried for her. "Yes. I'll be alright," she raised her head to glare down the hall. "And I'll be even better when we find Deonte."

Now it was Skub's turn to raise a brow, not that he actually could, at Hana. "_Get better_ _**how**_" he wanted to ask but he didn't want to disturb her; there was something compelling about her new determination, it made him feel as if she suddenly held all the answers, knew exactly how it would turn out. And while he might have fallen sway to the idea, Hana knew better: this new charisma that oozed off of Elizabeth was encouraging, but she couldn't know that much more than them. Which was exactly why they didn't want to ask her what had changed in her; they were afraid they'd ruin her new confidence and worry her.

"Skub," Elizabeth began as they came up to a fork in the hallway, "which way to the throne room now?"

"Left," he answered, watching her with awe filled eyes. For an easily impressed goblin, Elizabeth's new resolve was akin to the Second Coming.

Elizabeth nodded and started down the hall, almost leaving Hana and the others behind. After walking down the hall and through another, they arrived in front of pair of large double doors. "Skub," Elizabeth could scarcely breathe, "is this it?"

"Uh huh," he answered, looking up at the door with a disturbed reverence, eyeing it cautiously. Stank too felt troubled in front of the door, beginning to shuffle his feet around, fighting the urge to turn tail and run. There was just not something right about it, something that told the young Rock Caller to flee.

"Well…" Hana tried, feeling antsy herself. "Open it, why don't you?" Elizabeth, shaken from her own unease, nodded and pulled the door open.

For being the throne room of the Goblin King, Elizabeth admittedly expected to see at least one goblin or two in it but instead she found a pristine room that looked like it had never held a goblin in all its existence. That alone made it feel unnatural, false even. What made the room so much worse was who she saw sitting in the throne itself.

"Well, hello, Elizabeth dear," greeted Deonte, smiling. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

* * *

"Jareth," Sarah half sighed, half hissed. "Which way now?" She glanced down four different pathways, not including the one they had just come from. At her sides, Toby panted from the exercise to keep up with her while Juliana stood beside her, alert and slightly winded.

Jareth glanced down the four passages, rubbing his brow and glaring. The aging was picking up again, the wrinkles burrowing deeper into his face while a pronounced limp appeared in his left leg. Sarah found it painful to watch the former Goblin King's deterioration from his once glory; in its own way, the aging seemed to make the danger all around them more pronounced than ever. "Right," he decided eventually, lazy gesturing down one of the halls.

Sarah quickly obeyed, darting down the hallway. It was torture to remind herself she had to slow down for Jareth and the others. The need to find her daughter drove her forward restlessly, but Jareth's aging slowed him down to the point that he could barely keep up with her hurried walking, let alone her desperate running.

That didn't stop her from nagging, though she fought hard to curb the urge to flat out scream in frustration at him. "Hurry," she nearly begged. "We have _got_ to hurry!"

"Not all of us," Toby gasped finally, "can keep running nonstop, sis."

"I don't care," she snapped back. "We have got to get to Elizabeth before Deonte can-"

"If we don't get there in time," Juliana tried to begin before Sarah interrupted her.

"We will get there! If we just hurry a little-"

"Sarah," Jareth glared, trying desperately not to wheeze. "Shut up." When she opened her mouth to argue, he cut her off. "Turn right up ahead. That should lead us straight to the throne room."

Appeased for the moment with the heartening news, Sarah relented and stopped pestering them all for a few moments until they turned right. She began speeding up, hurrying towards the largest, most important looking door in the hall. She looked back at them as they straggled up to her. When they we're most of the way to her, Jareth nodded to her to open the door. She grasped the door rings and with relish, pulled the doors open. And then she gaped.

"Elizabeth?" she gasped, looking at her daughter across the room.

"Momma?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.

"Elizabeth!" Toby half shouted at the sight of her.

"Toby," Stank, Hana, and Skub cheered when they spotted him. They tried to move forward into the room but the doors slammed shut on them, almost catching Elizabeth too. She jumped clear with a cry as she lost sight of her friends.

"Ah Jareth," Deonte smiled, standing up. "and you brought some friends along. How nice. Though I don't suppose that will help you now much, huh?"

Sarah turned back, glancing back over her shoulder only to see the decrepit looking Jareth, sag badly to the side. "Jareth!" she gasped in shock, moving back to catch him before he slammed to the ground. Juliana and Toby caught him as well, helping to pull him over to the side to rest against the wall. The ex-Goblin King looked nearly unconscious, his eyes foggy and movements groggy. Sarah twisted back around to glare at Deonte. "You fix him! Whatever you did to him, undo it now," she demanded.

"What _I_ did to him?" Deonte replied smoothly, stepping down and moving slowly to the side of the room nearest Elizabeth. "Jareth knew what he was committing himself to when he took on the challenge to win back his throne. What's happening to him now is not of my doing. Although," he sneered. "I do admit, I wish I could claim the honor of it. Ha, the Goblin King brought low by his own makings. Sweeter irony or justice I have never heard."

"Oh, I'll show you justice," Toby snarled, raising the sword, eagerly wishing to run the usurper through.

"Another time, another day," Deonte shrugged, stepping back. "I have business to attend to at the moment. Once the girl swears allegiance to me, this kingdom is mine." He bowed theatrically then shifted into a black blur. The fast moving shadow swept over and carried the shocked Elizabeth away, up a flight of stairs that seemed eerily familiar to Sarah.

"Elizabeth," she cried, racing after Deonte and her daughter. Leaping up to follow, she reached out and snagged the sword from Toby's hands leaving Toby to run behind her and Juliana to help Jareth up after them. As they caught up with Sarah, they found Deonte, one arm pinning Elizabeth to his side with an iron hold, the other gripping a knife.

"STOP," Deonte screamed as he raised the knife to Elizabeth's throat, "or I'll kill her!"

Sarah for once stopped and listened but held the sword aloft still, quivering with the burning need to drive it through him. Deonte saw this and grinned as he realized she wouldn't strike him.

"Drop the blade, Champion, renounce your allegiance to Jareth and swear loyalty to me," he commanded scornfully, "and maybe your daughter will keep her head."

This at once hit both Toby and Jareth, well it would have if he were more lucid at the time, as the exact worse thing to do as they watched Sarah still and her eyes narrow. No one threatened her daughter or ordered Sarah Williams around and got away with it.

With a scream that would have impressed the Valkyries of lore, Sarah took the sword and swung it. It cut deep into his chest with a diagonal cut scant inches above Elizabeth's head. Deonte dropped Elizabeth in surprise as he stared down at the gash before the pain caught up to him. He snarled through the pain and stretched out his hand, black lightening arching free from his palm, and racing towards Sarah.

It happened almost too fast for Toby to comprehend: the blast of magic spiking into Sarah, her choked gasp, the pained look that flashed once, twice, and then affixed itself to her face as she dropped the sword and stumbled back, slammed into the frame of the door, and finally slid downward to the floor. His mind stopped as she rested in a heap, almost spilling out onto the balcony. He heard Elizabeth scream and race over to her mother but he couldn't move, staring at his sister's agonized face as she tried desperately to overcome her pain.

"_Momma_," Elizabeth cried, clutching her mother's arm as Sarah's face contorted as another wave of pain hit.

Turning back to see Deonte and the smug (albeit pained) look on his face broke something deep inside of him. With no thought except knocking that look off that bastard's face, Toby swung hard and felt a deep sense of satisfaction as his fist hit Deonte's jaw.

It sent the upstart staggering back, almost to the edge of landing. Toby jumped forward, eager to knock him straight off the ledge when Deonte backhanded him, his magic adding strength to the blow. Toby slammed into the wall behind him, the wind knocked from him.

Deonte smirked in triumph and raised his hand to blast him with his magic. "Now, I'm going to take care of you, just like I did your siste-" he began to snarl, but before he could finish, a streak of garish colors slammed into him. It took Toby a moment to realize it was Juliana who had tackled the former king, leaving Toby to watch in muted horror as both Juliana and Deonte went careening off the edge.

"Juliana!" Toby yelped, scrambling to his feet and over to the ledge. Before he made it, he heard a loud thud and the sound of a pained cry though he couldn't tell whose it was. He looked over the edge and searched for a sign of them.

He saw Deonte, sprawled out on the floor and then he saw Juliana, scooting backwards and hunched over. Toby sighed a bit of relief when he saw she was alive and began to race over to the stairs. Before he made it to the stairs, he saw the sword and scooped it up and continued on to the stairs but not before calling out to his niece. "Elizabeth, keep an on those two, okay?"

"O-okay," the shaky response came but he didn't have time to comfort her as he ran down the first flight of stairs. Getting down to the bottom floor (or was it the ceiling?) took some time, considering how many times he reached a dead end only to either to turn back or jump down to the next landing. When he finally got to the last stairs that lead out onto the floor, he jumped down from the side and ran over to Juliana.

He realized she was cradling her arm and trying not to cry in pain. Her arm was clearly broken, and hung lifeless from the shoulder. "Juliana," he whispered, kneeling down next to her, hesitantly reaching for her shoulder.

"I broke it," she answered. "I'll be alright, check…" she paused to glare over at Deonte's still form. "Check to see if he's dead."

"You two must have fallen six or seven floors, it's a miracle _you're_ still alive," he said. "There's no way-"

"Have you learned nothing?" she hissed. "Go check," she ordered, clutching her arm. He gave her a doubtful look, making her glare at him. "I'll be fine, I'll fix my arm in a minute, _go check."_

He hesitated a moment more before he stood, clutching the sword tightly in his hand, and crept over to the body. It certainly looked…_lifeless_ but Toby hadn't seen too many dead bodies to be able to really know. It laid next to a very large hole in the floor, which opened into an abyss. He stepped a little closer, reaching out with the sword to poke the still form.

Before the blade even got near Deonte, the usurper jumped to his feet. Toby gasped and Juliana behind him gave a moan of fear and frustration. Toby drew the blade up and held it in front of him protectively. "You're still alive?" he nearly squeaked as Deonte turned around to face him.

Deonte smirked as he brushed some dust from his clothes. "As you humans would say," he began lifting up his hand, magic swirling around it. "No. Duh." He fired the blast of magic at Toby and he very nearly got him before Toby managed to twist away enough to barely graze the blast. Juliana yelped as the magic blasted above her head, making her duck into a nearby alcove.

Deonte shot another flare of magic, this time nicking Toby's shoulder causing a large gash to appear. Toby gasped and almost let go of the sword to clutch at the wound before he realized how bad an idea that would have been. Instead, he tried to duck away from the oncoming blasts, jumping just barely out of reach. However, there wasn't much room to move and before long Deonte cornered him.

"End of line, eh, Toby?" Deonte snickered at him, enjoying every second that fear forced Toby back. He leveled his hand towards the teenager, magic charging around the appendage.

Instinct drove Toby to look for some form of escape but the stairs were on the opposite side of the room now, and there was no other alcove or openings to duck through. Cold terror trickled down his spine as he watched Deonte draw closer. In spite of his apparent death looming in front of him, in Toby's mind a stir of notes grew, forming soft music.

"…hold fast…" he whispered softly, echoing the song aloud.

Deonte paused and sneered at him like he had gone mad. "I have heard of humans going insane in the face of fear but I had hoped that as my opponent-"

Toby didn't bother to listen to him. Instead, he closed his eyes as the song swelled to a crescendo. "Soldier boy, hold on."

When he opened his eyes, Toby locked gazes with Deonte for one moment then sprung into the air, like an eagle in flight or a stag leaping. Before Deonte's eyes, Toby disappeared like smoke in the breeze.

Deonte stood still and stared in shock. He turned quickly one way and then in the opposite direction, hoping to find his opponent. But Toby was gone. "Toby? Resorting to the old magic?"

Nothing; he could hear the shushed breath of the Eleionomaese girl in the alcove on the other side but little else. And then he heard a step, but not behind, beside, or in front of him.

It came from the wall.

"Toby? Too afraid to face me, Toby?" he snapped, looking around feverishly, searching.

Silence.

"Come on out, Toby," Deonte growled, turning about on the cobblestone floor as he glanced about, not bothering to mind the hole next to him. "Are you an heir or not?" He looked at the walls, the stairs, the doorways: nothing. "If you swear loyalty to me, I'll be able to save your sister. Isn't that what you want, Toby? To save her?"

"The only thing I want," Toby snapped behind him, his form reappearing in a blur perched on the wall. "Is your head."

Deonte spun about in time to see Toby spring from the wall and begin to make an arching slash with the sword. With a roar, Deonte raised his hand, calling on his magic.

Toby could only watch in horror as his blade suddenly splintered apart as it neared the glow of the magic. He stared down at the hilt and what remained of the broken blade. He looked back up to see Deonte's pleased look of triumph before he raised his hand to blast some more at Toby. As he raised his hand, Toby began to back pedal, hoping he could make it to safety before Deonte blasted him.

Before either Deonte could blast him or Toby could run, Juliana appeared again, tossing herself onto Deonte's back and trying to strangle the usurper. Deonte yelled in rage and Toby tired to think of something he could do to help. He tossed himself at Deonte too, tackling him to the ground while Juliana tried to maul Deonte's face.

High above them, Elizabeth watched and panicked. "What can I do? What can I do?" she repeated, wringing her hands as tears streamed down her face. If only someone could help them…but she was too little, too weak, her earlier courage having fled at the sight of her wounded mother. What could she do?

"Elizabeth," gasped a dry voice making her jump. She looked over her shoulder to see Jareth trying to beckon to her. She ran over to him quickly, falling to her knees next to him.

"Yes?" she asked. She was willing to plead with him if he could help.

To her confusion, with his hand shaking from the effort, he handed her a crystal. It fit snugly into the palm of her hand and she looked back up to him hoping he'd explain. "Use it," he began but she could see him beginning to wear down fast. "Deonte…"

To her horror, he fell unconscious once more leaving her with nothing but a crystal and some sparse instructions. She looked down at the crystal, hoping the answer would come to her. "Use it, use it…to what?"

In the crystal, an image began to swirl to life, making Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Oh," she said quietly. "Use it like _that."_

Back down below, Toby and Juliana struggled to keep Deonte pinned to the ground although he didn't make the job an easy one. When they nearly had him down he roared something at them and both of them found themselves tossed aside like rag dolls. Toby skidded across the floor on his back while Juliana slammed into the wall, her head bouncing against the stone before she slid down to the floor unconscious.

Toby wanted to run over to her and check to make sure she was all right but Deonte got back up and began to turn to him. Toby scrambled up and grabbed for the useless hilt—it was better than nothing.

Deonte looked positively livid. "I tried to offer you a chance, Toby. I gave your sister a chance; I gave your niece a chance. But no more; rules be damned, this kingdom will be mine!"

Toby wrapped his hands around the hilt and glared up at Deonte. "Go find your own fucking kingdom."

Deonte yelled and raised his hand, black tendrils beginning to swirl around it. Toby raised the hilt in front of him and began to pray. However, just as Deonte began to bring his hand down to strike, a voice pierced the air.

"Uncle Toby!" Elizabeth screamed—she had climbed down as fast as she could and had made it as far to the ledge a floor above them. She hurled something bright and shining at Deonte and Toby took his chance to drive the blade into the distracted man's chest. Deonte didn't have time to scream in pain when the crystal hit, clipping his head. The crystal shattered at contact, causing Toby to jump away as suddenly Deonte screamed. From the place the crystal had hit, the flesh began to change to stone, leaving behind a perfect statue of Deonte, face still contorted in a scream.

_It turned him to stone_, Toby realized quietly. Beside him, he heard Juliana wake up and groan as she stood. She walked over to him and they glanced at each other before looking back to the statue. Without a word, both stepped and together they shoved the statue over straight into the hole in the floor. It was silent for a long moment before they heard the statue break as it crashed into something.

Toby turned back to Juliana; she was already beginning to sag to the floor. He caught her and helped her rest on her knees. "You going to be okay?" he asked.

She glanced up at him and smiled. "I'll be fine." He glanced over at her arm and she smiled lightly when she caught the look. "I did tell you I would fix it." She looked over her shoulder to his niece. "You should look after her now."

"Right," he said. He stood and looked up at his niece. She had stared as Deonte turned to stone by the crystal but now as she saw her uncle, bruised but alive, she began to sob. He raced up the wall (he still didn't how he was doing it but hey, whatever worked, right?) and caught her in a hug as she threw herself into his arms.

"Uncle Toby," she cried, clutching at his shirt.

"Shh, shh, easy now," he whispered. "I've got you." She finally looked up at him and he smiled before he remembered something. "How's Sarah?" He watched as her faced twisted in horror, grabbed her, and raced up the stairs to them.

When they reached the top where they found Jareth, still propped up against the wall and Sarah half-fallen out onto the floor outside the opening. Elizabeth ran over to her mother while Toby licked his lips and tried to think. He walked over to Jareth and shook him awake.

As the king opened his eyes blearily, Toby tried to keep from panicking and began to speak. "Can you help her?" he whispered, nearly pleading.

Jareth frowned and tried to speak. "Swear" was the only thing he managed. Toby fought not to shake something that made sense out of him.

"Swear? Swear what?" he asked. Jareth frowned and held his hand up to him. Toby blinked and took it; when his hand touched the king's gloved one he gasped as a vision swam in front of his eyes. Jareth began to nod off once more, having used up the last bit of strength he had. "Okay, I get it. I get it, Jareth, see?" he said, trying to keep the king awake. "Jareth, I solemnly swear my allegiance or some shit to you, now wake up and help Sarah!"

As he finished, Toby gasped as a white light shined from between his and Jareth's clasped hands. The king blinked and sat up more, trying to move his mouth again. "Elizabeth…Sarah…"

"…okay, I got you, just hold on," he tried to assure as he stood. "Elizabeth, come here quick!"

Elizabeth paused from trying to get Sarah to stay awake and glanced at him. She looked from her uncle to her mother before getting up and racing to her uncle. Her uncle grabbed her shoulders and pulled around to Jareth.

"You have to swear allegiance to him," Toby explained. "It's the only way to help Sarah."

Elizabeth bit her lip. Swear allegiance? If it helped her mother… She reached over and grasped the king's hand in her own. His eyes looked into hers and she stuttered as she spoke. "I s-swear allegiance to you, Jareth," she whispered. "Now _please_ help my momma."

She watched in awe and fright as a light glowed from her hands and his. She glanced up at her uncle but he was half way over to his sister already. He slid one arm around her shoulders to prop her up and grabbed one of her icy hands into his own. "Sarah. Sarah, this is important," he said, trying to shake her awake. Her eyes fluttered open. "You have to swear to Jareth, it's the only way."

Sarah frowned and tried to shake her head. Toby nearly screamed in frustration.

"Stop being stubborn, damn it, and say it!" he snapped.

"I…" she closed her eyes and flinched at the pain. She felt so heavy and sleep sounded so lovely…

"Sarah," he pleaded, "say it."

She frowned. "I…" she gasped, feeling herself slip away. "…swear…"

Toby could only watch in horror as her head lulled to the side. However, he heard Elizabeth gasp behind him and when he looked over his shoulder a blinding white light flooded the opening. For a moment, there was silence then a gloved hand grabbed the door's frame and Elizabeth stood, helping Jareth up as he stepped into the room.

He had returned to normal, minus a few lines framing his eyes that weren't there before but at least he didn't look like a wrinkled prune anymore. Elizabeth was clutching at his hand, helping to steady him. Jareth glanced down at her in something akin to surprise but then she began to tug him over to Sarah. He let her tug his arm and stopped in front of the limp woman and Toby who still held her.

Toby watched as Jareth removed a glove and pressed his bare hand to the wound, muttering strange lilting words under his breath. A soft light began to shine and Toby's heart jumped as Sarah gave a twitch. A moment later, the white light spiked in brightness and Sarah sat up with a gasp before nearly collapsing again in a coughing fit.

She blinked and looked around at the shocked faces of her brother and daughter and the reserved, closed off expression of Jareth as he coolly studied her. She couldn't contemplate this long as she suddenly had her daughter crying as Elizabeth tossed her arms around her and her brother wiping viciously at his eyes while grinning at her.

Jareth stood and stepped back as he watched Sarah and her family celebrate her return from near death. He glanced over his shoulder as Juliana climbed the last stair, clutching her sore arm. He raised a brow at her then glanced down to where they had fought Deonte.

She nodded, understanding his unasked question as she stepped closer. Jareth turned back to the three people in front of him as Toby helped Sarah up and Elizabeth clutched at her mother's side. All three of them turned to look at Jareth.

"So then," Sarah began. "What happens next?"

Jareth raised a brow. "I," he began, "have a kingdom to reclaim—officially. You three," he gestured to them as he began to walk past them and to door that had appeared from nowhere. He paused before he exited the room. "You three have your own decisions to make."

Sarah frowned as he left. "What decisions?"

"You're the heirs," Juliana said.

"So?" Toby asked.

Juliana sighed. "Will you stay or not? What will you do?"

Toby blinked as Sarah stiffened and Elizabeth's eyes went round. "…I wouldn't mind staying," Toby admitted. Sarah gave him a stern look. "…but I have my parents and school…" he paused. "I wonder if I can talk Jareth into letting me visit…?"

"You're an heir to the labyrinth," Juliana sighed. "Of course, you can bloody visit," she answered, voice growing exasperated but he smiled at her making her shake her head in amusement. She turned her gaze expectantly to Sarah and Elizabeth.

Sarah looked down at her daughter while Elizabeth turned her face to look up at her as well. "Well, Lizzie," she began with a smile. "Ready to go home?"

To Sarah's surprise Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror. "No," she yelped, leaning back but still clutching at her mother's hand.

Sarah blinked in confusion as Toby looked at his niece. "No?" he repeated.

"Elizabeth, why on earth-?"

"I _hate_ it there," she explained, tugging on her shirt. "I have friends here and up there the only people that like me are grandma and grandpa."

"Hey, what about me?" Toby asked a little defensively.

She blinked at him. "But you said you'd visit."

Toby stared back, stumped at having his own words tossed back up at him. He looked at his sister's still shocked face. "I did," he agreed. Sarah scowled at him but turned back to her daughter. Before she could open her mouth to argue a loud tremor shook the building.

Elizabeth let go of her mother's hand and ran through the door leaving the three of them to follow. They found she hadn't run far, only down the hall a bit and was staring out of a balcony. When they looked out of it with her, they found Jareth lowering his arms. Sarah and the others crowded around the doors and looked out at what he had done.

The Labyrinth was rebuilding itself; the walls were whole once more, the hedge maze was green again, and the small houses down below reassembled themselves. Goblins began to peek out from various nooks and crannies, sticking there heads out of the rebuilt houses, from around the gates, and, if Sarah was hearing right, they were also beginning to shuffle closer to them.

From around the corner, a dark hairy head the size of a large softball poked out to stare at them. "King?" it whispered to them and they stepped apart for it to see Jareth who was still looking out at his kingdom as it put itself to rights. The little goblin made a quiet "oh" sound but suddenly surged forward, surrounded by a small mob of goblins that rushed forward to the edge of the doors.

Elizabeth jumped at the small mob's appearance and grabbed on the person closest to her, Juliana. Juliana took hold of one of the girl's shoulders and stepped back to let the goblins past as Sarah and Toby did the same.

"King Jareth?" a little voice asked amongst the crowd asked. He turned solemnly to them and after a moment of silence, raised a brow at the rag tag group. Seeing this, the goblins went wild though even they didn't really know why. They began to laugh, jump, and dance, celebrating the return of their king. It became a very merry romp as the goblins ran up and down the halls, screaming their joy at the top of their lungs.

"Toby," cried a voice from amidst the crowd. Yet another for Elizabeth and a one for Sarah too before they saw Stank, Skub, and Hana fighting their way to them. Toby and Elizabeth waded through the crowd to reach them, leaving Sarah standing still outside the balcony's door. She watched as Juliana slipped through the door and joined Jareth, leaning against the rail as he turned to her.

"Don't tell me you're going to start petitioning me _now_," he protested.

She smirked and raised a brow at him. He sighed wearily and rolled his eyes; as he did so, his gaze landed on Sarah. For a moment, they merely stood, watching each other. The wild chaos around them muted for a few sparse seconds before Sarah heard someone calling to her. She turned her head to look.

"Hoggle," she cried in surprise and joy. "Ludo, Sir Didymus!" She reached out and swept Hoggle up into a hug as her three old companions surrounded her.

"Jareth?"

Jareth looked back to the Eleionomaese girl in front of him. "Juliana, I just recaptured my throne. Give a few days before you start harping in on me."

She huffed at him but surprisingly didn't bother to press him. Instead she stood and started to mutter suspiciously something about him being "too caught up on a woman" to attend to real important details. He had half a mind just to drop her straight into the Bog right then but decided at the last moment to let it slide. Today was a day to celebrate; but instead of viewing his newly recaptured kingdom he kept his gaze on the scene in front of him with Toby and Elizabeth celebrating with Juliana, Hana, Skub, and Stank while Sarah reunited with Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo until he felt small tug on the edge of his coat.

Still feeling lenient, he glanced down to find a particularly furry goblin staring up at him. He raised a brow at it but was surprised when it presented him a crystal ball. "Dreams?" it asked, pressing the ball into his hand as he took it from it.

He stared at it for a moment, wondering how the goblin had gotten a hold of it but as he held it up to eye level, he saw through and saw Sarah glancing at him again before turning back to her friends. Smiling to himself, he pocketed the crystal and patted the head of the goblin.

"Dreams?" it asked again, wondering.

"Perhaps," he answered loftily. "But maybe a bit more… viable than last time." Confused, the goblin shrugged, bowed and returned to the party. Grinning a little feral, Jareth himself walked into the hall, patting the crystal and humming.

* * *

**"There are no happy endings, because nothing ends".** (--The Last Unicorn)

And so this story too has no happily ever after, because while this telling ends here, the true story continues on. But that is another story, for another time perhaps.

**The End**

* * *

**Author's note: …well, not quite! There's the epilogue coming …sometime? Not to mention a deleted scene too. Thanks everyone for reading the story, I deeply appreciate it.**


	9. Epilogue

**I have no idea how the epilogue ended up being the about the same length as the final "full" chapter, but here it is.**

- -Epilogue- -

"Jareth," Juliana huffed, walking into his personal study before he could escape her, glaring at him. "I gave you time-"

"Not nearly enough," he interrupted, burying his nose into a book. "Try again in a few days, why don't you?"

"I GAVE you three days," she hissed, yanking the book down to stare him in the eye. "Now answer me."

He sighed and sidestepped her, walking towards his desk. "If I must."

"Jareth, that land is mine and you know it! Give it to me," she demanded, slapping her hand upon his desktop. "It's my right to it; you can't keep it from me forever."

He glanced up at her and contemplated dumping her in the Bog, but decided she'd probably enjoy just to spite him then squat in there for days until he would have to send someone to ferret her out. No, best just deal with her at the moment rather than spend days uselessly trying to find her again. "By conquers rights, it's mine if we want to get technical."

"I don't want to get technical, I want my home back, damnit!" she snapped. "You have your kingdom back. I helped you get it back. By _right_, you owe me, the least you could do is _give it back_." She looked ready to try and jump the desk to attack him. He didn't give her the smallest of victories by moving back when she began to invade his personal space as she shoved her face nearly into his.

In the quiet lull before she shouted arguing again or Jareth started retorting, there was a clear knock at the door. Both of them turned in frank confusion to stare at it, looking like they forgot it had ever existed. Taking the opportunity to dodge Juliana again, Jareth called out "Come in".

Sarah and Toby stood on the other side looking in at them. Toby raised a brow at them. "Fighting again, or is Juliana just going to tear your eyes out for the fun of it?"

"Trust me, it would be the most fun she'd have in years," Jareth drily quipped.

Juliana tossed up her hands in contempt. "And joy, don't forget the most joy too," she snapped before stalking towards the door. "Get out of my way; I'm going to drop kick some goblins over the wall."

"Careful they don't try to bite your toes off again," Toby replied as she stepped pass them. As Juliana began to walk away, Sarah hurriedly called out to her.

"Wait, Juliana," she began, reaching out to catch one of the Eleionomaese's scarves. "Have you seen Elizabeth? We can't find her."

"Again?" she asked, frowning. "Tried checking the window ledges?"

"Double checked," Toby answered.

"That's the second time in two days," Jareth observed lightly. "Elizabeth seems to be quite fond of finding hiding places in our castle."

Sarah looking uneasy at the wording of "our castle". "Well, if you see her, tell her we need to talk about…stuff," she finished lamely.

Jareth stood up and walked in front of his desk before leaning back casually against it and crossing his arms. "I'll see to it then that she knows you want to talk to her about 'stuff'," he replied.

She nodded, and grabbed Toby as she began to hurriedly walk away. "C'mon, let's try the kitchens again."

"You seem kinda flushed, sis, you okay?" Toby asked as she pulled him along, leaving Juliana and Jareth behind.

Juliana turned back to Jareth. "You…haven't told her then?" she asked, trying to word her question carefully.

He frowned. "I didn't want her decision to be …biased or…forced by any means."

Juliana stared at him a moment. "But surely…she has a right to know that the magic now-"

"Like I said," Jareth interrupted. "I don't want her to feel forced."

Juliana shared a stoic look with the Goblin King for a moment before finally nodding. "I …see then," she murmured before cocking her head to the side and deadpan saying "So that means even you can feel unsure about the 'heir' then."

"Go get Hog-brains," he glared at her and let the door snap shut with a gesture of his hand.

* * *

Crouched underneath a gum encrusted counter, (_how did goblins get gum?_ Elizabeth wondered. _Did they steal them?)_ Elizabeth hid from her mother and uncle as a cook, Eskubar, muttered about small children mucking about her kitchen. Ignoring the crusty cook, Elizabeth tried to tuck herself in further into the niche she hid in, waiting and listening for her family. So far she hadn't successfully convinced 

her mother to agree to stay in the Underground, but then her mother hadn't convinced her to leave yet either.

As she sat under the counter, absorbed by her thoughts, she missed Eskubar and her assistant Snodgrass' silence nor the quiet footsteps until she heard a soft groan above her. Hoggle's face came into view.

"Little missy," he began, crouching down. "You've got your mother and uncle all wound up trying to find you, you know."

She sighed. "I know…"

"So why are you hiding then?" he grumbled. When she didn't answer, he sighed and offered her his hand to help her up. She stared at it for a moment before reaching out and taking it.

As soon as she was out, she brushed herself off and turned to him. "So what are you doing here, Hoggle?"

"Jareth sent for me," he answered. "Probably shouldn't have come—he'll probably try start expecting me to come all the time, though why he would call me at all is beyond me…"

Elizabeth smiled at his random ramblings. "What do you think he wants to talk to you about or maybe it's something else?" she asked as they left the kitchen.

"How should I know?" he shot back, shambling along next to her.

"Well, maybe it'll be something good."

"The only good thing he could do is finally let me take a vacation from that dratted Bog."

"Well, maybe he-"

"Elizabeth!" Sarah called.

"Uh oh," Elizabeth gasped as her mother and uncle came into view. "Now, I'm in trouble."

"Darn right you are," Sarah snapped as she walked up. "Stop hiding all over the place when I tell you we need to talk."

Elizabeth tried to look innocent. "What's there to talk about?"

"Elizabeth," Sarah admonished, glaring.

"Oh, so you found her," Juliana commented, coming around the corner. She glanced at Hoggle, "Jareth's in his office. He wants to speak with you and me within the hour. Come along."

"Hey, who you talking to like that, all high and mighty?" he snapped. She ignored, grabbed his collar, and began to drag him along unceremoniously.



"Hey! Juliana, go easy on him," Sarah shouted to them. "Now then," she started, turning back. "Elizabeth, we need to-" …only to find her daughter already gone. "Where did she-?" She whipped around and saw Elizabeth, chasing after Juliana and Hoggle. "Elizabeth!"

"I'll go get her," Toby told her before hurrying along after them. Not wanting to lose Elizabeth again or be left out, Sarah took off after them as well. By the time she and Toby caught up with them, Juliana was dragging Hoggle into Jareth's office while Elizabeth tried to tip-toe away. "Oh, no you don't," Toby grumbled then swept his niece up into his arms.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," Elizabeth announced instantly, trying her hardest to squirm loose of his grip.

"Elizabeth, enough, _**now**_," Sarah demanded.

Elizabeth cringed but went dejectedly fell limp. "Yes, momma."

"I'm putting you down, so no funny business, okay?" Toby asked, lowering her down. Elizabeth huffed as she sprang a few steps forward before turning to face them, feeling jittery. "You need to stop this hiding all the time, Lizzie, it's getting ridiculous."

"Sorry, sorry," she mumbled, scuffing the toe of her shoe against the floor.

"Now, we need to talk," Sarah began, making Elizabeth twitch. "Honey, I think it's time tha-"

Suddenly, from inside Jareth's office, Hoggle let out a loud yell sounding suspiciously like "yippee".

"What the hel-" Toby began before Hoggle nearly danced out of the room.

"Take it! I don't want it! FREE!" he cackled in delight before he noticed them standing outside the door and freezing up in shock.

"Is that normal for him?" Toby asked Sarah conversationally.

Sarah stared. "I…are you okay, Hoggle?"

Snapping out of his stupor, he tossed up his hands and laughed. "Great! Best I've ever been—haven't felt this good in years. Hah," he laughed turning back and wagging his finger at still Juliana. "It's yours, take the damn thing. Hah, freedom at last!"

"What's going on?" Toby asked, directing it to Jareth since Hoggle was still too caught up in his enthusiasm and Juliana was too caught up in her stupor.

"Oh, just finalizing some negotiations," he answered, smugly. "You see, I made Hogpen there 'Prince of the Land of Stench' so I could never just give back the Bog. Hoggle had to."

"You _made_ him Prince of the Land-" Sarah glared at him. "_Why?"_

"Who cares!" Hoggle laughed with maniac glee. "It's hers now, and I can finally get away from that horrible place. Good riddance."

"Um, Juliana?" Elizabeth called to the Eleionomaese. "Are you okay?"

"Forgive her, dear," Jareth commented, still smug. "Her dearest life's ambition was just granted to her and she's reveling in it. As it stands, that's the longest I've ever seen her with her mouth shut ever."

That snapped her out of her silence. "Compared to you who _never_ shuts his mouth."

"Uh ah," he tsked. "None of that. Now, we still have to talk details—the Bog-"

"-Swamp," Juliana corrected primly, smiling. Toby was taking a bit aback to see such a purely happy expression on her face.

"-Swamp, whatever, still falls to the over all control of the Goblin Throne-"

"Oh, whatever and all that, I've got work to do," she shushed him. He rolled his eyes but surprisingly let her pass with the comment. "First, we have to flood the Swamp and get rid of that smell, then we have to nurse the trees and-"

"Yes, well, that's all well and good too, just make sure you don't drown any goblins. Or Sir Didymus for that matter," he added. "Which reminds me, I'll have to set him up with a new post or he'll mope for ages with nothing to do."

Juliana was no longer paying attention to him; she wandered out the door, still setting up her plans under her breath. Hoggle, finally calming down, had to hurry after her to make arrangements with her to get his possessions out of the Bog before she and the rest of her people flood it.

"I'm glad she's getting her home back," Toby commented.

"It would have been a bad idea _not_ to reward her after helping afterwards anyway," Jareth replied, returning to the other side of his desk.

"Speaking of getting homes back," Sarah began, turning to Jareth. "I think it's time we all went home too."

Jareth paused, fixing her with a even but rather blank look. She couldn't read anything from it at least, which made Sarah feel just a bit uncomfortable. His bland indifference made her feel like he was disapproving of her decision but then, why would he really want her to stay anyway, right?

"All went home?" Elizabeth repeated in horror. "You mean go back 'up there'?"

"Well, …yeah, where else?" Sarah tried. She sighed at the pained expression on her daughter's face. "Elizabeth, now you've known that we were going to go home all this-"

"That place," Elizabeth interrupted, "is _not_ home! I don't want to go back there ever again!"

"Bethie," Toby tried, reaching out to her but she stepped back.

"I'm not going back! You can't make me! I won't-"

"That. Is. ENOUGH, Elizabeth," Sarah snapped. "We are going home, there is no reason for you to be acting this way. Look," she tried, lowering her voice back down, trying to reassure her. "I know it's hard now but if you give it a chance-"

"I don't want to give it a chance! I want to stay here, so I'm staying," she shouted and before any of them could stop her, she raced out the door and disappeared around the corner.

"Elizabeth!" Sarah shouted after her and took off.

"Oh, man," Toby groaned, watching them leave. "I hope I was never that much a drama queen at that age."

"Drama," muttered Jareth. Toby turned and watched him sit down hard on his chair. There were no traces left of the smug king from earlier, just a rather defeated looking man, gazing down at the floor.

"…she's probably going to take ages to find again," Toby tried. "Keep an eye out for her, while you, Jareth?"

"…just get out of my sight."

Raising a brow a the waspish reply, Toby left the Goblin King to his thoughts.

* * *

It was Jareth who found Elizabeth after all. He hadn't even really meant to either; he had simply walked by her hiding place and heard a strange noise. Upon investigation, he found huddling on the wide ledge outside the window. When he leaned out the window, he frowned as he saw her, knees tucked underneath her chin and sniffling.

He didn't care for crying; he dealt with his Prizes crying loudly by singing to them or having them removed. Elizabeth, at the moment, was too wound up to want to hear a song, probably, and if he tried to remove her _more_, she'd fall to her death from the height. Instead, he sighed then put his head and shoulders out the window, turned so his front faced the window, folded his arms, and sat on the sill.

"Your mother and uncle are looking for you," he told her. She cringed, coiling in on herself. He went on. "It's dangerous sitting here. You should come inside before you worry your mother more."

She didn't seem to listen. "Momma said she wants to go back. She yelled at me when I said I didn't want to go."

As Jareth remembered, Elizabeth had pitched a fit, not "said" that she didn't wanted to go. But he decided not to point that out. He glanced back at the window, to his reflection. _I still need to tell her…_

Elizabeth ignored his silence and went on. "She's never yelled at me like that…not since the funeral."

Jareth turned his head back to her. "Funeral?"

"My father's," she clarified and Jareth regretted asking. After a moment of silence, she continued. "Did you know after my father's funeral, mom climbed into bed and refused to do anything besides eat and go to the bathroom?" Her eyes, half hidden by her bangs, narrowed. "No matter what I did, she never got up. I could scream and cry and all she would do is lie there." She paused and looked out over the Labyrinth. "I hated her."

"Come again?"

"I hated her. So much," she nearly sobbed. "It was like loosing daddy all over again." This time she did break down in tears.

Jareth could only stare, at a loss. He never dealt with children as old as Elizabeth before, and now she was crying. Uncertainty was never his strong suit; so, without quite knowing what he should be doing, he unfolded his arm, and gently put it around the quivering girl.

"If we go now," she cried, "after everything's that's happened, after making friends finally…It'll be like that again! Just like when daddy died!" She clung to his arm and he gently pulled her over to his side, away from the far end of the ledge. She sobbed and held on, lost to her fear and sorrow. "Please, let me and momma stay, help me get momma to stay! I don't want to go back…"

Since he had nothing to say, he glanced away from her but quietly petted her hair in sympathy. He didn't remember crying like that, not even at his own father's death. _How am I supposed to comfort a child when I have no idea what she's going through?_

Finally he looked up and saw Juliana, still looking damp from the swamp with Toby at her side. Toby was looking at Elizabeth with distant eyes, lost in recollection. Maybe he was remembering his brother-in-law's death too, Jareth wondered.

By the time Elizabeth had started to calm down, the skies began to pour. Jareth delicately slipped back inside and maneuvered Elizabeth's shaking form in as well. When they were in, Juliana quietly helped him to a chair so he could sit with Elizabeth in his lap.

"…I'll go get Sarah," Toby announced, speaking for the first time before he left.

In Jareth's arms, Elizabeth went to sleep.

* * *

"I left her with Jareth," Toby explained as he and Sarah hurried down the hallway. Sarah, still anxious with worry, fought from urging him to go faster as he loped along beside her. He still declined to say where exactly Elizabeth was, otherwise Sarah would have run there already.

"You left her," she frowned angrily at him, "with Jareth."

"And Juliana," he added after a moment.

Sarah rolled her eyes and continued to walking. "By the time we get there, he'll probably have convinced her to stay here… not that she doesn't want too …already," she added softly. Toby frowned but didn't comment.

"Sarah," he began suddenly, making her glance at him, "why do you want to leave?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A valid one," he shot back, annoyed.

She had the decency to look embarrassed for snapping at him. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that," she apologized. She glanced forward as they continued to walk. "We can't live here all our lives down here, what kind of life would that be?" she tried to sound light but he didn't look amused.

"According to Juliana? One worth getting helping people you dislike and fighting for," he quipped.

Sarah cringed at the harsh tone. _You would think he was __**my**__ big brother talking like that._ "You just don't realize what it means to live down here, how dangerous it could be for Elizabeth-"

"Considering what happened a few days ago," he countered. "I doubt Elizabeth doesn't have a clue, Sar."

"Oh, what do you know?" she snapped, losing her patience with him.

"No, what do _you_ know?" he argued back, stopping to turn and yell. "You and I spent the same amount of time here, I know enough! Elizabeth knows enough too-"

"You're not her father, don't tell me how to raise my child!" she screamed. Toby stepped back and watched as Sarah began to really let loose. "Just because you think she's knows what its like to live down here, that just because she doesn't have any friends up there right now, that it makes it okay to stay here? After what happened a couple days ago, you should understand why we to go! What if someone else comes to try for his stupid throne? I'm not going to let Elizabeth get involved with that!"

"Even if that's what she wants?"

"SHE DOESN'T _**KNOW**_ WHAT SHE WANTS!"

"Do you?" he asked, quietly.

Sarah came up short, taken aback by his sudden composure and question. "What?"

"Do you know," he began, tone even, "what you want? What you really want?"

Confused, she stared at him. _This is so unlike him, this calm questioning…and yet…it_ _isn't_, she supposed. He had been forceful like this when he asked her about how she and Jareth knew each other. Pushing past her unease, she bit out, "What I _want_ is to know where my daughter is."

Toby frowned. "You know she's with Jareth," he argued then pressed on. "What do you really want? To go back to teaching classes to people how are only there to get a credit from your class? To go back to pay bills, grading papers, arguing with mom and dad? What do _you want_ to go back for?"

"That's not why I'm going back!" she snapped.

"Then what is? What's up there that you can't find down here? You said yourself you and Elizabeth don't have friends anymore because you _always_ lose contact with them," he tried. "You actually have friends down here. And it's not like you'll never see our family again, I'm sure Jareth would let you if you asked."

_Why is he asking this?_ She thought desperately. "Well, why are _you_ leaving?"

"Because I'm not ready," he admitted. She blinked and he looked away, to a window. "I'm still a kid, after everything's that happened, I get that now. So I won't stay here…I have to stay gone until I'm **ready** to stay."

"Are you saying…you're planning on living here permanently?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Eventually," he corrected. "If Jareth will let me. I think he will."

"Why on earth are you going to do that?"

He glanced back. "Why do you want to leave?"

She looked away. "…will you just take me to Elizabeth?"

Toby frowned and glared at her. Then he turned and began to walk away. "Go find her yourself," he snapped to her, leaving before she could stop him.

She started to shout at him then stopped. Toby refused to be helpful when angry at someone. Sighing, she turned about and continued walking, guessing to where they were.

She ended up wandering around, checking any room she stumbled on, and hoping to find them. She had no such luck so she tried their bedrooms again, first Elizabeth's, then hers, then Toby's. She paused, wondering if she should try Jareth's. Toby had mentioned he left her with the Goblin King. Grimacing, she headed over to his room, or at least what she was guessing was his room. She never actually saw his room, only his office from earlier.

When finally found a door that seemed grand enough that it might fit Jareth's ego not too far from his office, she tried looking in. To her rather mixed relief, she saw no one there either. Shutting the door, she frowned then turned to try his office down the hallway. It was the only other place that came to mind.

To her surprise, she did find them there. Elizabeth slept, curled up on the reclining sofa, next to the desk where Jareth sat, watching over her. He glanced up at her as she came in, standing. "She's been sleeping for awhile," he commented as she hesitated at the threshold.

"…thanks for watching her then," she tried. _This is so awkward…when did it get so awkward?_ Probably about the time Elizabeth threw her temper tantrum. "And for, um, finding her too."

He nodded. "I'll leave her to you then," he said. As he started past her, he stopped, not looking at her directly. "I…have something I need to talk with you later as well."

"Yeah…me too," she replied. He hummed in acknowledgment and left. She waited until she was sure he was going before walking over to her daughter's side. "Elizabeth?" she tried quietly. "Elizabeth, time to get up."

Elizabeth heaved a great sigh but continued to sleep. Sarah saw that she wasn't about to walk up soon and gave her sleeping daughter a wry grin.

"_Do you know what you want?"_

She frowned the memory of her brother's words came back to haunt her. Of course she knew what she wanted?

"_What you really want?"_

…didn't she?

"Ack, now he's got me questioning myself," she sighed. She glanced down to her daughter, sleeping fitfully. _What I want…_

She had a job waiting for her. Their parents must be sick to death with worry. Elizabeth could make new friends. She would get over it.

_What I _really_ want?_

"Jacob," she murmured her late husband's name. "What should I do? Jacob…"

She smiled self-deprecatingly. She knew what he would say.

"He'd say stay," she whispered, admitting to no one the truth. She glanced around, checking to see if someone might have overheard. Satisfied, she turned to look back at her daughter. She sighed. "Oh, Bethie, what should I do with you?"

In her sleep, Elizabeth smiled.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Juliana asked Toby, as he packed the last memento from the goblins into his bag. In his short time there, the whole population of goblins seemed to exalt him, Sarah, and Elizabeth as saviors and was always eager to show their appreciation of them. When they learned he would be leaving, they kept appearing from hidey-holes, offering gifts and trinkets as goodbye presents. Most of it was junk but he didn't like the idea of tossing away any of it.

"Yeah, that's the last of it," he said, straightening.

"So, how long you leaving for?" Hana asked, landing on his shoulder.

"Mmm, for awhile," he answered. "Jareth said that on the equinoxes and solstices would be the best time to visit, so I'm guessing I'll come back some time in September. Will you miss me, fairy?"

"Hmph," she grunted, flicking her wings in agitation. "Bah, the only bit about you I'll miss is your somewhat usefulness."

"Hey, I helped convince Jareth give you back wings, you know," he laughed in protest.

"Yes, well," she murmured in agreement, flapping her wings gently. "Thanks." It was true; after Jareth seemed to settle in with all the changes, Toby had gone to him to ask him to restore Hana's wings. Despite the fact that he couldn't return her original wings, Jareth had used his magic to make her grow a new set. The fairy, for all her bravado, was thankful for that.

Toby smiled and started to reply went he nearly fell backwards as a weight pressed itself against his legs. Looking down after stumbling back a bit, he found Stank staring up at him with large puppy dog eyes. "Toby stay…" he begged, trying to look pitiful.

"Ah, Stank," he began, leaning down to give the Rock Caller an affectionate rub behind the ears.

"Stop being such a baby, Stank," Hana order, flying off Toby's shoulder to land on Stank's back as he slid off Toby.

"Toby?" asked Skub. "You're really going then tonight?"

"Yeah, 'fraid so," he answered, bending down so he was closer to Skub's diminutive height. "You'll look after Hana and Stank for me while I'm gone, right?"

"Yes, sir!" Skub snapped a salute and stood at attention. Toby laughed and patted his shoulder.

"I'm counting on you then."

"Hey, I can look after me and Stank just fine, thank you!" Hana snapped, flying up level to his head. Before they could descend into a fight, there was a knock at the door. Juliana, who had backed away to escape their antics, opened to the door find Sarah on the other side.

"Is Toby ready?" she asked.

Juliana opened the door to let her in and see for herself.

"Hey, sis," he greeted her sheepishly. Last time they talked, he stalked off in anger. Knowing her, she should have still been mad but she looked composed on the outside at least. "I'm heading out tonight."

"I heard."

Was that a good sign or bad? He couldn't tell. "So, um, did you wanna talk or something?"

"Actually-" she began, however she was cut off when Elizabeth came racing in and tossed herself around his waist, nearly plowing him over.

"Uncle Toby," she hissed. "Please, help me convince momma to stay? Please?"

"I already tried," he whispered back as he bent down to hug. Sarah was giving them a suspicious look for their whispering. "I couldn't convince her either."

"But-" she tried, pulling back.

"If you're done here," Juliana spoke up. "It's time. If you want to leave, now would be it."

"Huh?" Elizabeth gasped in despair.

Smiling gently in sympathy, he patted her shoulder and gave her a nudge. Grudgingly, she moved forward. They all exited the room and began to walk to the find Jareth. Juliana led to him, where he stood in front of familiar looking mirror. "Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me."

Jareth turned and raised a brow. "I assure you, I'm not."

"That mirror already tried to attack once," he argued, stomping up to him.

"The _mirror_ tried to attack Uncle Toby?" Elizabeth asked in confusion to Juliana.

"His reflection actually," she clarified. Elizabeth still looked mystified but turned back to Jareth and Toby.

"That was because Deonte cursed the mirror to attack us. He wanted any one of us out of the way," Jareth explained. "This is a sacred artifact."

"Yeah, well, what's it got to do with getting me home?"

"Everything," Jareth answered, turning back to it. "This mirror is the gateway you'll use to get back to the Aboveground."

"Huh," Toby grunted for lack of a response. "So what do I do?"

"What do you do? Walk through it," he snorted. "It's a gateway, what do you expect?"

"Hey, last time I stuck my head in there, I nearly drowned!"

"Impossible. You cannot drown in a mirror."

"You saying I'm lying?" Toby huffed.

"No. I'm saying you're wrong," Jareth corrected him, smirking. "Have a little faith, Toby."

"Whatever," he grumbled, rolling his eyes and turning to Sarah and Elizabeth. "So, you ready?"

"No…" Elizabeth grumbled.

Then Sarah did something surprising; she glanced upward and shifted anxiously. "Well, yes about that…"

All sets of eye in the room fixed on her.

"You can cross over from world to world, like in September, right?" she asked. Jareth nodded cautiously. "So, I was thinking…maybe I'd wait until then to decide. That would be okay, wouldn't—hrk!" She drew up short as Elizabeth tossed herself at her.

"We're staying then?" she cried, clutching at her shirt.

"…yes," Sarah answered after a moment. Elizabeth nearly burst into ecstatic tears and Sarah couldn't help but notice Toby looking at her in approval.

"This means 'lizabeth and Sarah are staying!" Skub repeated enthusiastically.

"Congrats, Lizzy," Hana said, flying down and landing on the girl's shoulder. Elizabeth let go to properly celebrate with her friends.

Juliana slid closer to Sarah. "So I take it he told you then," she commented.

"Who told me what?" Sarah asked.

"Jareth, about the magic."

"What magic?"

"Oh…I see he didn't then," Juliana murmured.

"Wait a second, what magic?" she asked, glancing over to Jareth, who was being badgered by Toby about the Goblin King's suddenly good mood.

"The magic that keeps you alive."

"Keeps me…" she repeated carefully. "What magic?"

"When Deonte attacked you. Jareth used magic to heal you," she explained like she was talking to a simpleton. "The magic that keeps you alive binds you here."

Sarah saw red. "No," she growled. "He forgot to mention that one." _When I get my hands on that little-!_

Juliana viewed her anger with dispassionate curiosity. _Humans and their strange mood swings_. "He didn't tell you," she began, catching Sarah's attention, "because he was afraid that would be the only reason you would stay."

"…what?" Sarah turned to look at her.

"I suppose Goblin Kings can feel insecure too, hmm?"

Sarah stared at her then glanced back at Jareth, as if seeing him in a new light. "…Jesus, what am I doing?"

"Isn't this what you want?" Juliana asked.

Sarah glanced back her then at Jareth; he looked up and caught her gaze, looking back. Finally she smiled. "Maybe. Just maybe."


	10. Bonus Material

**Hah, welcome to "omake" or special bonus material I tend to do for the end of many of my stories. For this story, my special bonus is a deleted scene. It was cut for pacing—it seemed clunky and out of place in the finished version although I hated to see it go.**

**This is from the time that Sarah, Toby, and Jareth are still heading to the castle. In the final chapter, Sarah makes a comment about Jareth's eyes being really blue. This scene helps explain where that rather random thought came from. It also gives some rather fun interaction between the three of them.**

* * *

Sarah shot him a disgusted look. "Is there any question you'll give a straight answer to?"

Jareth grinned, "Perhaps."

"You'll have to think one up," Toby called back to her. "Try asking what color the sky is?" he asked tone a tad snide, but he meant no harm. _Or at least,_ Sarah thought, _he had better not._

Sarah bit her lip, trying to think of a question. _Well, it's not like we have anything better to do, right? _"Okay, um, so…what color are your eyes really?"

Jareth paused, giving her a bewildered look. "…my _eyes?_"

She bit her lip again, this to time to keep from laughing. She had to admit, she'd never seen that look on his face before. "Yeah. Do you really have two different colored eyes or-?"

To her surprise, Toby cut her off. "You know most people don't have monochromatic eyes, Sar," he said, jumping down off the small ledge that appeared, interrupting the road. He turned and helped her down before turning to see Jareth had mysteriously appeared behind him. "Don't you ever do anything like normal people, like jumping?" he snapped, not bothering to wait for an answer that wasn't coming. "Anyway, take my ex-girlfriend for instance. She had hazel eyes but if you looked long enough, you'd see a corona of copper surrounding her iris," Jareth and Sarah shared a skeptical look, neither quite believing what they heard. "Then she had this bit of green around that with a dark brown surrounding the rim."

Neither Sarah nor Jareth could think of anything to say to that.

Toby glanced back at them, wondering why they were so silent. "What?"

Sarah shared one more uncertain look with Jareth before speaking. "...corona?"

"Yeah, you know" he began, "that thing that surrounds the…" he tried to make circular gestures but catching the looks on their faces stooped. "…never mind." Both of them behind him began snickering and he rolled his eyes at them.

"Toby," Sarah began finally after she finally finished snickering at him. "If you give up acting, I think you should look into poetry."

"Oh shut up," he snapped, giving her a mock glare.

"No really," she said, trying not to laugh. "I think you, uh, you really got the heart of a poet."

"Oh ha ha," he retorted, helping her down a slick set of stairs. Behind her, they heard Jareth laughing at them. "So, how much farther do you think?" he asked, trying to shut up the amused king.

"Oh, let's see," Jareth spoke, passing by both of them to look out on the Labyrinth. "Were about three fourths of the way there."

"Three fourths!" Sarah shouted. "But we've been walking for _hours_. When I ran the Labyrinth the first time I was already past that awhile ago."

"Good thing it's not timed then, right?" Toby asked, trying to keep her hopes up. Jareth however didn't answer. "…it's not, right?"

Jareth gave them both a look and turned back to the path. "Keep walking," he ordered, leaving the siblings to share an annoyed look.

"When we find this Bog, let's toss him in," Toby suggested, tossing an arm around his sister's shoulders. Sarah smiled despite herself.

"I heard that," Jareth called to him, not breaking stride.

"Damn," Toby muttered exaggeratedly. "We need a new evil plan, sis."

"We could ditch him in an oubliette if we find one," she suggested.

"Heard that too," he shot back.

"Then stop listening," Toby retorted and Sarah couldn't help but laugh. It was, however, short-lived, and she bit her lip worried making Toby frown. "Something wrong?"

She glanced at him and sighed. "Just worried."

"About…" he paused as the answer hit him. It had been hours since either of them had seen Elizabeth and Jareth wasn't producing answers. "Lizzie's tough, she'll be okay." Ahead of them, Toby made note of how the Goblin King flinched at the mention of Sarah's daughter.

Sarah smiled at him, not reassured but grateful that she didn't have to explain herself to him. "I know. But still…"

He grinned and gave her shoulders a shake. "She'll be fine. She takes after you." She looked at him and smiled too.

"If you two are done with this sibling bonding, we need to pick up pace," Jareth called to them. Toby shot a glare at his back before turning back to his sister conspiratorially.

"Right, so where is one of these oubliettes you mentioned?" he asked and she laughed. "Hey, Jareth, so what is the real color of your eyes anyway?"

"…blue," he shot back. "Or do you want to stare into my eyes to see if they have a 'corona' too?"

* * *

**Such a fun scene, I hated to see it go.**

**Now, I decided to add one more thing—a kind of FAQ. If you want, send me in questions and I'll edit and re-upload this page with the answers. For now, here are some questions that might have come up or were already asked.**

**-Is Deonte Jareth's brother?**

Nope. Deonte was the ruler of another kingdom, like Jareth, that was under the rule of a High King that both he and Jareth served. Deonte ended up sleeping with the wife of the High King, however, the Queen eventually lost interest in him and the High King punished him by removing power.

**-Is Juliana Jareth's niece?**

This time, yep, she is. Juliana is the daughter of Jareth's younger sister.

**-What happened Jareth's sister? Why did she attack him?**

Jareth's sister, for lack of a better term, went off the deep end and tried to kill him to gain what power he had. However before she could begin the attack, he caught on and had her killed for planning to commit regicide. As punishment, he banished all of her people, including Juliana.

**-Who was trying to reach Toby in his dream of the Labyrinth?**

This one is rather open ended. In the original video from which the dream was based on, it was most definitely not Hoggle. However, since is only loosely based on the dream, it could be. Short answer: any goblin, it doesn't matter. It could be Hoggle if you want, it could have been Skub.

**-Who is the 'Heir to the Labyrinth'?**

Actually, this wasn't explained as well as I would have like so here it is: For each power that was striving for the throne, Deonte and Jareth, they each had an heir. Jareth chose Sarah as his heir while Deonte chose Elizabeth. So why was Toby there?

Toby was the literal heir to the Labyrinth. It called him there to run as well, to try and balance out Jareth and Deonte's schemes.

In the end, Jareth ends up with all three of them for prospective heirs. In the original idea I had for a sequel, it would have been explained that Toby became Jareth's heir apparent, Sarah his heir presumptive, and Elizabeth would be last in line for the Goblin Throne. In other words, Toby is the first pick, Sarah the second, and Elizabeth the last.

**-Why is that?**

Because Toby has the strongest magical power.

**-Speaking of magic, what's with his? And what was with Elizabeth's odd premonition of her future self marrying Deonte?**

Toby's power comes from the hours he spent as a baby, waiting while Sarah ran the Labyrinth. The magic wore off on him, leaving him with powerful latent powers, much like in the manga. In a scene I didn't get time to write, it would have shown that the former Prizes that became Eleionomaese also had magic too, from their time as Prizes.

Elizabeth's premonition was to be explained in the sequel as well; the 'dream' was actually a vision sent from her future self, as a warning of what would happen if she listened to Deonte any longer. Elizabeth's future power was inherited from Sarah.

Remember that line, 'and he gave her certain powers'? Well, those powers were passed on to Elizabeth.

Sarah is so awesome, I didn't feel the need to give her any power. She kicks enough ass without them. That's why you don't see hers.

**-What if Toby or Sarah had gotten to the center before Elizabeth?**

Then Jareth wouldn't have started to age. When Elizabeth got there, she set some power magic coiling back unto Jareth, resulting in him loosing power and aging. It wasn't just about reaching the center first—it's about reaching it and having the heir swear power to their perspective 'king' first to gain control.

If Toby had entered first, both Deonte and Jareth would have lost power and aged. Since the Labyrinth cannot age like them, when Elizabeth does get there first, it doesn't lose as much power nor does it age as Jareth. If Sarah got there it would have been Deonte aging.

**-Is Deonte more evil than Jareth?**

Without a doubt.

**-How did Toby explain to his parents what happened to Sarah and Elizabeth?**

I'd be more worried about explaining to the cops, since that's who they called when their children and granddaughter disappeared.

Either way, it took several long hours talking. Jareth finally stepped in and explained it to them. As it stands, Irene is in denial about the whole thing and Robert just tells everyone that Sarah took off for Europe with her daughter in tow.

**-Why Irene and Robert?**

Because at least it's partially cannon? Personal preference really, I couldn't decide for awhile between Irene and Karen, finally I went with the name from the manga.

**-Is Jareth and Sarah in love?**

I'm a Jareth/Sarah shipper, but you're quite welcome to not read it that way if you want.

**-Is Juliana in love with Toby?**

Doubtable, but possible. He's quite possibly the only one she ever would like, he's certainly got her gratitude.

**-You have manga characters, but where's Moppet?**

You have no idea how bad I wanted to include her. And maybe I still will, in a sequel.

**-Is there a sequel?**

Maybe. We'll see.


End file.
